WLD Describes Itself As

A crypto project aiming to build a global identity and financial network that gives everyone access to a shared digital currency and proof-of-personhood credentials. Worldcoin leverages Ethereum’s security (as a Layer-2) and issues its token free to users to grow the network’s user base.

Project Function

• Worldchain (Blockchain Layer): The verified identity commitments and token transactions ultimately settle on a blockchain. Worldcoin operates Worldchain, a Layer-2 network built on Ethereum’s technology (part of the Optimism “Superchain” stack). 
• World ID (Proof of Personhood): World ID is Worldcoin’s digital identity protocol: a privacy-preserving proof of personhood that lets users prove online that they are real and unique humans without revealing any personal information.
• Orb (Biometric Verification Device): The Worldcoin Orb is a custom biometric device (a spherical iris scanner) used to verify a person’s humanness and uniqueness. The Orb is a silver, bowling-ball-sized hardware device developed by Tools for Humanity that performs in-person biometric scans to issue World IDs.
• World App (Wallet and Identity Manager): World App is the official mobile wallet application for Worldcoin. It is a self-custodial app (available on iOS/Android) that lets users manage their World ID and digital assets in one place.

Token Utility 

WLD is the native cryptocurrency of the Worldcoin network. It is an ERC-20 token (currently on Ethereum and the Worldchain L2) and provides the following functionalities:

• Network Currency: WLD can be used as a medium of exchange within the Worldcoin ecosystem. For example, it can serve as an in-app currency for various financial transactions or “in-game” and microtransaction uses in the mini-apps integrated with World App. 
• Gas/Fees on Worldchain: WLD is used to pay transaction fees on Worldchain, the Layer-2 blockchain for Worldcoin.
• Governance Rights (future use): WLD holders are expected to participate in the governance of the Worldcoin protocol and ecosystem. Of note, the World Foundation (a non-profit entity established in Oct 2022) oversees the project’s governance, but there is a defined path to progressively decentralize control to the community of WLD holders and World ID users.

About The Founders

Sam Altman the Co-Founder of Worldcoin parlayed an early social-networking exit (Loopt) into a decade of influence in Silicon Valley—first as president of Y Combinator, then as co-founder/CEO of OpenAI—before co-launching Worldcoin in 2019 to explore digital identity and universal access to finance.

Alex Blania the Co-Founder of Worldcoin trained as a theoretical physicist in Germany, conducted quantum-information research at Max Planck and Caltech, and left academia in 2019 to start Tools for Humanity; he is now its CEO and the operational leader of Worldcoin’s “Orb” hardware and proof-of-personhood network.

Risks of WLD

Like an investment in other crypto assets, there are some general risks to investing in WLD. These include:  (i) volatility risk and liquidity risk, (ii) short history risk, (iii) demand risk, (iv) forking risk, (v) code defects, (vi) regulatory risk, (vii) electronic trading risk, and (viii) cyber security risk. For additional information of these and other general risks associated with crypto assets and Uphold’s platform, please refer to the Risks Specific to Holding Digital Assets statement.

In addition to these general risks, an investment in WLD is subject to the following specific risks:

• WLD operates using smart contracts, which have an association with vulnerabilities and security breaches. Despite undergoing successful audits by well-regarded third-party entities, it is essential to acknowledge the existence of inherent risks. 

We emphasize that this Crypto Asset Statement is not an exhaustive description or summary of all risks associated with WLD. Investors should conduct their own research and perform their own assessment before trading any crypto asset to determine the appropriate level of risk for their personal circumstances.

The WLD community and Worldcoin founding team are not under any legal or regulatory obligation to disclose material information to the public regarding its activities. Holders of WLD have no recourse to the WLD community, Worldcoin founding team, or Uphold if WLD declines in value for any reason.

Changes to applicable law may adversely affect the use, transfer, exchange, or value of any of your crypto assets, and such changes may be sudden and without notice.

Uphold’s Evaluation Process

Prior to listing WLD on the Uphold Platform, Uphold performed due diligence on WLD and determined that WLD is unlikely to be a security or derivative under relevant securities legislation. Uphold’s analysis including reviewing publicly available information on the following: 

• The creation, governance, usage, and design of WLD, including ensuring the source code is open-source, audited and peer reviewed, security, and roadmap for growth in the developer community. 
• The supply, demand, maturity, utility, and liquidity of WLD.
• Any marketing materials put forward by the WLD social team including on, Twitter, Medium blog, LinkedIn posts, Discord and Telegram channels.
• Material technical risks associated with WLD, including any code defects, security breaches and other threats concerning WLD and its supporting blockchain (such as the susceptibility to hacking and impact of forking), or the practices and protocols that apply to them.
• Legal and regulatory risks associated with WLD, including any pending, potential, or prior civil, regulatory, criminal, or enforcement action relating to the issuance, distribution, or use of WLD.

General

Uphold has prepared this Crypto Asset Statement based on publicly available information. Although Uphold has taken steps to obtain information from apparently reliable sources, information contained in this Crypto Asset Statement may be inaccurate, incomplete or out-of-date. This overview is a starting point for you to perform your own research prior to investing in a crypto asset.

Uphold users should read the Risks Specific To Holding Digital Assets statement for additional discussion of general risks associated with crypto assets made available through the Uphold platform.

Last updated on June 4, 2025.