Worldcoin: A way to a Globally Inclusive Digital Future

Unlock Insights
7 min readJan 10, 2024

In an age where the digital world is increasingly influential, the need for a globally inclusive identity and financial network is paramount. Enter Worldcoin, a visionary project that seeks to bridge the gap between identity and finance, ensuring every human being can actively participate in the digital realm while preserving their privacy. This article delves deep into the mechanics and potential implications of the Worldcoin project.

Worldcoin: A Digital Future for All

More than just another cryptocurrency, Worldcoin champions the principle of “proof of personhood.” This concept ensures that each person can engage in the digital world while maintaining their distinctiveness and security.

Key Terminologies:

  • Proof of Personhood (PoP): A mechanism which ensures one digital identity per person, preventing bots and other forms of digital noise.
  • World ID: A privacy-focused digital identity tied to Worldcoin, functioning as proof of a person’s humanity without sacrificing privacy.
  • Orb: A unique biometric device used for issuing AI-safe proof of personhood verifications. It’s a physical touchpoint for users to obtain their World ID.
  • Orb Operators: Independent local businesses responsible for managing and maintaining the Orbs.
  • World App: The primary interface for users, guiding them through the verification process and securely managing World ID credentials.
  • Worldcoin Token ($WLD): The digital currency tied to the Worldcoin network, playing a key role in incentivizing network growth.

The Pillars of Worldcoin

Centered around the innovative World ID, Worldcoin establishes a privacy-preserving global identity network. Individuals must first engage with the Worldcoin protocol through the World App, proceeding to obtain their Orb-verified World ID at a physical Orb device. These Orbs are primarily managed by independent local businesses, referred to as Orb Operators.

  1. World ID: Privacy-Preserving Digital Identity
    World ID is the bedrock of the Worldcoin network, functioning as a privacy-preserving proof of personhood. With World ID, users can confidently verify their humanity online without compromising their privacy. It employs zero-knowledge proofs and a unique biometric device, the Orb, designed exclusively for issuing AI-safe proof of personhood verifications.
  2. Worldcoin Token ($WLD): Aligning Network Growth
    The Worldcoin token, WLD, plays a pivotal role in fostering network growth by aligning the incentives of all participants. Issued to all network members, WLD not only incentivizes network expansion but also offers a solution to the “cold start problem”, setting the stage for WLD to potentially become the most widely distributed digital asset.
  3. World App: The Gateway to World ID
    World App serves as the user-friendly interface to World ID, guiding users through the verification process with the Orb and securely managing World ID credentials. Designed to provide seamless access to decentralized financial infrastructure, World App is expected to be integrated into various wallets in the future.

Ecosystem

At its core, Worldcoin functions through a robust ecosystem centered around the PoP mechanism. This system, vital for applications like global UBI and democratic AI, is overseen by the Worldcoin developer community and the Worldcoin Foundation.

Worldcoin operates within a robust and well-structured ecosystem, centered around the Proof of Personhood (PoP) mechanism. This mechanism is crucial for applications with high stakes, such as global UBI, democratic AI and Worldcoin project governance. The Worldcoin developer community, alongside the Worldcoin Foundation, is diligently working to establish a high-assurance PoP mechanism through World ID, employing the Orb as the initial device for biometric verification.

The effective PoP mechanism comprises vital building blocks, which are deduplication, authentication, and recovery.

  • Deduplication: Ensuring each individual can verify only once, deduplication is essential for maintaining the integrity and trust in the PoP mechanism.
  • Authentication: It’s crucial that PoP credentials are non-transferable and can only be used by the legitimate owner, safeguarding against fraud and unauthorized use.
  • Recovery: Providing users with a means to recover lost or compromised credentials is imperative, offering methods like user-managed backups, social recovery, and re-issuance.

In Finance:

  • Instant & Borderless Transactions: Worldcoin envisions a future where financial transactions are not bound by geographical constraints, allowing for instantaneous, global money transfers accessible to everyone.
  • Secure Digital Money: With safety paramount, digital money under Worldcoin provides a secure alternative to cash, which is vulnerable to theft and forgery. This is crucial in crisis scenarios where immediate financial aid is required across borders.

In Verification (e.g. ID):

  • Combatting Digital Noise: Worldcoin addresses the growing issue of digital noise, from bots to spam, by offering a frictionless digital identity solution. This inclusive and privacy-centric approach promises a cleaner and more authentic digital experience for all users.
  • Democratic Governance: Worldcoin enables fair and democratic governance mechanisms online, thanks to its sybil-resistant proof of personhood provided by World ID.

Bridging Finance & Identity:

  • Aligned Incentives: Worldcoin promises to revolutionize incentive structures, such as coupons and loyalty programs, by mitigating fraud and aligning incentives between consumers and companies. This innovation might give rise to companies partially owned by their users, fostering a new era of corporate-consumer relations.
  • Fair Resource Distribution: The project offers a solution to equitable distribution of vital resources, from subsidies to social welfare, particularly in economies where resource capture is prevalent. By implementing a decentralized proof of personhood protocol, Worldcoin ensures fair distribution, playing a crucial role as AI continues to advance and reshape the economic landscape.

The Tokenomics

Worldcoin is on a mission: building an unparalleled identity and financial network owned by everyone, aligning with a future heavily reliant on Artificial Intelligence (AI). With the WLD token at its core, Worldcoin aspires to be the most distributed digital currency, enabling protocol governance and serving as the bedrock for a significant privacy-preserving network.

WLD Token Overview:
Launching on July 24, 2023, the WLD token is an ERC-20 token residing on the Ethereum Mainnet, primarily transacting on the Optimism network for efficiency. Its initial supply cap is set at 10 billion WLD, with a default inflation rate of 0%, potentially increasing up to 1.5% per annum 15 years post-launch, as determined by protocol governance.

Allocation overview:

The Worldcoin Foundation is allocating Worldcoin Community tokens to support user grants, network operations, and ecosystem funds until decentralization and self-sufficiency are achieved. This flexible allocation strategy aims to maximize tokens for users, with a significant portion distributed as user grants to encourage participation and engagement with the Worldcoin network.

The Worldcoin Foundation actively allocates Worldcoin Community tokens to support the ecosystem until it’s decentralized. Tokens are primarily used for:

  1. User Grants: Incentivizing participation.
  2. Network Operations: Ensuring smooth running.
  3. Ecosystem Funds: Investing in the Worldcoin environment.

Users can claim grants via the World App after identity verification, with unclaimed tokens returning to the community pool. Although the Foundation initially sets grant amounts, future decentralized governance may introduce mechanisms like a potential 1.5% annual inflation rate 15 years post-launch for long-term sustainability. Users can also reserve grants without immediate Orb verification, promoting inclusive participation and supporting both individuals and the broader ecosystem’s development. For updates, engage with the Worldcoin community and official channels.

Building a Global Network

Worldcoin’s vision extends to crafting a global identity network, pivotal in an era where distinguishing between AI and humans online is challenging. This initiative promises fairer resource distribution, protection against online bots, and could potentially revolutionize global democratic processes.

How It Works:
Download the World App, visit an Orb for identity verification, and you’re set to engage with the Worldcoin protocol. With over 2 million verified individuals across 30 countries even before launch, Worldcoin has already allocated more than 43 million WLD tokens, with plans for a significant global rollout.

WLD Token Allocation:
With an ambitious goal to distribute WLD widely, Worldcoin has outlined a detailed token allocation and supply schedule, ensuring a fair and transparent distribution process from the outset.

Conclusion

Worldcoin is not merely a cryptocurrency; it is a blueprint for a digitally inclusive future where identity and finance intersect seamlessly. By solving the global issue of proof of personhood, it opens up a realm of possibilities, from democratizing online governance to ensuring fair distribution of resources. As it continues to grow and evolve, Worldcoin stands at the forefront of a digital revolution, crafting a future where everyone, regardless of their location, has a stake in the global digital economy.

¡NB! This is NOT financial advice NOR sponsored article.

Reference:

  1. worldcoin.org
  2. token.unlocks.app

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