World ID
Proof-of-human credential from World, issued after an iris and face scan at an Orb device and stored on your phone.
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World ID key facts
| Category | Web3 identity |
|---|---|
| Chains | World Chain (Ethereum L2) |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, SDK |
| US availability | Available in the US except New York State |
| Launched | Protocol launched late July 2023 |
| Company | Tools for Humanity (San Francisco and Munich); protocol stewarded by World Foundation |
| Token | WLD (Worldcoin) |
| Open source | Yes: World ID contracts public on GitHub (MIT) |
| Free plan | Yes: free to join; World App is free and does not require a verified World ID |
| Pricing | Free to join |
WLD token
- Price
- $0.3163 -2.2% 24h
- Market cap
- $1.2B
- Fully diluted value
- $3.2B
- 30-day change
- -41.7%
Market data: CoinGecko, updated Nov 10, 2026. Educational content, not financial advice.
What is World ID?
World ID is a proof-of-human credential from the World project, supported by Tools for Humanity. Users verify at an Orb, which scans images of the eyes and face; the data is encrypted, sent to the phone and deleted from the Orb. The protocol launched in late July 2023. Lighter proofs cover document attributes such as age, or a selfie check.
How World ID works
At an Orb, the device takes high-resolution images of your irises and face, confirms you are human, and turns the iris image into a code split into randomized multi-party computation fragments.
The Orb sends the images and fragments to your phone, then deletes them. Your phone sends the fragments to the AMPC service to confirm you have not verified before, and your World ID is issued. When a site asks you to prove you are human, you approve in the app and it returns a zero-knowledge proof; the site learns only that you hold a valid World ID.
Each proof carries a nullifier unique to you, the app and the action, so an app can allow one vote or claim per person without learning who you are, and different apps cannot link your actions. Besides the Orb credential, World ID supports a Document credential, which proves possession of a unique government document through NFC checks and suits proof-of-age flows, and Selfie Check, a medium-assurance liveness check valid for 90 days by default that does not guarantee one account per person.
How to start with World ID
- Download the World ID app from the App Store or Google Play, then use it to find an Orb location.
- In the US you can verify everywhere except New York State; the San Francisco flagship at 281 Geary St. is open Monday to Saturday 10 AM to 7 PM and Sunday noon to 6 PM.
- You only visit an Orb once.
- Developers install IDKit (npm, Swift or Kotlin), create an app in the World Developer Portal to get an app_id, rp_id and signing key, sign proof requests on their backend and verify returned proofs.
World ID fees and limits
- In an April 30, 2025 post, World said applications would pay for World ID services in WLD, combining a fee set by each credential issuer, such as the World Foundation for the Orb credential, with a protocol base fee and premium.
Getting a World ID costs you nothing: the World FAQ says it is free to join, and World App is free to use. Charges fall on apps instead. The post named per-proof and per-monthly-active-user pricing and free tiers as options, planned a first pilot for Q3 2025 and gave no amounts. Separately, World Chain gives verified humans a free gas allowance.
Risks to know before using World ID
- The highest assurance level depends on an iris and face scan.
- World says the images are deleted from the Orb and kept only on your phone, so protecting that data falls to your device.
- World ID 3.0 contracts are marked deprecated in the docs, so older integrations need migration to 4.0.
- The protocol is stewarded by World Foundation, and Tools for Humanity, the company that builds the Orb and app, provides services to it, so development depends on one company.
World ID alternatives
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World ID pros and cons
- Available in the US except New York State
- Proofs reveal no name, email or birthdate
- Contracts are public on GitHub under MIT license
- Top-level Proof of Human requires an in-person Orb visit
- Requires scans of the eyes and face
- Not available to New York State residents
World ID FAQ
What is World ID?
World ID is a proof-of-human credential from the World project, supported by Tools for Humanity. Users verify at an Orb, which scans images of the eyes and face; the data is encrypted, sent to the phone and deleted from the Orb. The protocol launched in late July 2023. Lighter proofs cover document attributes such as age, or a selfie check.
Which chains does World ID support?
World Chain (Ethereum L2).
How much does World ID cost?
Free to join, according to World ID’s own page (checked Oct 1, 2026). Free plan: Yes: free to join; World App is free and does not require a verified World ID.
Does World ID have a token?
Yes, WLD. Its market cap was $1.2B on CoinGecko on Nov 10, 2026. Educational content, not financial advice.
Is World ID available in the US?
Available in the US except New York State, according to World ID’s own page (checked Sep 26, 2026).
Sources
How this page works
Sources: World ID: official site, World: About, World: GitHub world-id-contracts. Data as of Oct 1, 2026.
Not affiliated with any project listed. Educational content, not financial advice.