Worldcoin, the digital identity project backed by Sam Altman, is steering its ship toward Asia and Latin America. Europe? Not so much anymore. Fabian Bodensteiner, who heads Worldcoin’s European ops, said at the Sifted Summit that shifting focus was all about finding places with friendlier vibes towards cutting-edge tech. But this isn’t just a random pivot. Governments in places like Japan, Malaysia, and Argentina seem more welcoming, while Europe gives off chilly signals.
More Than Consumers, It’s Business
In places like Malaysia, it’s not just about bringing Worldcoin’s tech to the masses but also getting in good with local businesses. Bodensteiner mentioned that they’re already working with Mimos (Malaysia’s national research center) and MyEG Services, the country’s e-gov platform. The plan? Get World ID integrated into all kinds of local platforms. At the same time, Worldcoin is making waves in the gaming sector, collaborating with major game publishers across Asia-Pacific to integrate their tech into gaming ecosystems.
So, while they’re going global, they’re being picky because they know they’re not a massive 1,000-person company. They have to zoom in on places where the future looks brighter.
Europe Not Off the Map, But Cloudy
Europe hasn’t been a smooth ride. Worldcoin’s operations in Europe have faced regulatory turbulence, particularly around biometric data collection. In July 2023, the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision launched a probe into the company’s data practices. A final decision is expected later this October, but it’s a waiting game. Meanwhile, Spain and Portugal pressed pause on Worldcoin operations over similar concerns earlier this year.
Despite the legal rollercoaster, Worldcoin isn’t giving up. They’ve rolled out their World ID verifications in Austria and officially launched in Poland last month. Bodensteiner emphasized, though, that they aren’t pulling out of Europe completely, saying, “We want to make it work here; we don’t just want to leave Europe and dodge things.”
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