World Foundation raises $52.5 M to expand World ID proof‑of‑human system

The World Foundation announced a $52.5 million funding round sold as a strategic WLD token sale. The round was led by Pantera Capital and included investors such as Bain Capital Crypto, Eightco Holdings, Selini Capital and Susquehanna Crypto. All tokens were placed under a 12‑month lock‑up, signalling a long‑term commitment rather than a short‑term flip.

The capital will be used to scale World ID, the biometric‑based “proof of human’’ infrastructure that lets users verify they are unique humans via a one‑time iris scan on a device called an Orb. The network already counts more than 39 million members, over 18 million of whom have been verified, and has processed roughly 475 million identity proofs. World ID is being integrated with platforms such as Zoom, Docusign, Tinder, Okta and Vercel, and the raise coincides with the project’s third anniversary.

Regulatory scrutiny continues in several jurisdictions, but the fundraising underscores growing demand for reliable human verification as AI agents flood the internet. The token’s market price fell about 10 % after the announcement, reflecting short‑term trading pressure despite the lock‑up.