|

ChatGPT founder Sam Altman’s Worldcoin under investigation by French authorities

  • France’s CNIL stated that Worldcoin and its biometric data collection “seems questionable”.
  • The French watchdog revealed to Reuters that it had initiated an investigation along with the Bavarian state authority.
  • Worldcoin has already received over 2.1 million in the last two years in trial, with investors submitting their iris scans in exchange for digital IDs.

Worldcoin has been making headlines across the crypto community for two reasons. The first is its origin which is credited to Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT. The second is its novel approach to creating a digital identity. The latter of the two, however, seems to be of grave concern to authorities to the point where it is now under the purview of authorities.

Worldcoin is being invested by the French

Worldcoin was in equal parts awaited and just as equally a surprising launch. The cryptocurrency came with a new approach to creating digital identities by using iris scans of token holders. While this may seem and sound like the future, the idea of one team holding the eyeball data of millions of people is not sitting well with the authorities.

According to a report from Reuters, France’s privacy regulatory body National Commission on Informatics and Liberty (CNIL), is reportedly investigating the cryptocurrency. The watchdog stated in response to a Reuters email,

“The legality of this collection seems questionable, as do the conditions for storing biometric data.

The agency further stated that it had already initiated an investigation, which is being conducted under the command of the Bavarian authority. However, the Worldcoin Foundation is of the opinion that the organization is conducting its processes in line with the rules and regulations.

The Cayman Island-based organization stated,

“The Worldcoin Foundation complies with all laws and regulations governing the processing of personal data in the markets where Worldcoin is available...The project will continue to cooperate with governing bodies on requests for more information about its privacy and data protection practices.

Since the altcoin’s launch this week, Worldcoin (WLD) has managed to rake up more than 2.1 million sign-ups over the past two years through a trial. In many countries, in addition to creating a digital ID, users are also receiving free cryptocurrency in exchange for the biometric data collected.

Trading at $2.194, the altcoin has managed to surprise investors without dumping soon after its launch. However, the hype of the cryptocurrency is only expected to last for a while longer since, beyond the novel technical approach, the altcoin offers nothing new to either investors or developers.

WLD/USD 1-day chart

WLD/USDT 4-hour chart

The ChatGPT founder affiliation might keep it going and attract more users over the next week, but the network growth (the rate at which new addresses are formed) will eventually slump.


Like this article? Help us with some feedback by answering this survey:


Author

Aaryamann Shrivastava

Aaryamann Shrivastava is a Cryptocurrency journalist and market analyst with over 1,000 articles under his name. Graduated with an Honours in Journalism, he has been part of the crypto industry for more than a year now.

More from Aaryamann Shrivastava
Share:

Editor's Picks

Starknet unveils strkBTC, shielded Bitcoin transactions on Ethereum Layer 2

Starknet, the Ethereum Layer 2 network developed by StarkWare, today announced strkBTC, a wrapped Bitcoin asset that introduces optional shielding while preserving full DeFi composability.

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple consolidate with short-term cautious bullish bias

Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple are consolidating near key technical areas on Friday, showing mild signs of stabilization after recent volatility. BTC holds above $67,000 despite mild losses so far this week, while ETH hovers around $2,000 after a rejection near its upper consolidation boundary.

Ethereum Price Forecast: FG Nexus continues distribution amid signs of returning risk-on sentiment

FG Nexus, once dubbed an Ethereum treasury firm, resumed offloading the top altcoin on Wednesday, distributing 7,550 ETH, according to data from smart money tracker EmberCN.

Top Crypto Gainers: Stable and Decred rally, Pippin approaches record highs

Altcoins, such as Stable, Decred, and Pippin, are extending gains so far this week, defying the risk-averse conditions in the broader cryptocurrency market. Stable and Pippin are near record high levels, while Decred extends its breakout rally above $30.

Bitcoin Price Annual Forecast: BTC holds long-term bullish structure heading into 2026

Bitcoin (BTC) is wrapping up 2025 as one of its most eventful years, defined by unprecedented institutional participation, major regulatory developments, and extreme price volatility.

Bitcoin: Another month of losses, and it’s been five

Bitcoin (BTC) price is stabilizing around $68,000 at the time of writing on Friday, but the Crypto King is poised to close February on a fragile footing, marking its fifth consecutive month of losses since October and a rare start to the year with back-to-back monthly corrections.