Worldcoin price could bleed with German watchdog’s investigation, amidst allegations of fake KYC in Africa


  • Bavarian state regulator is the lead authority investigating the Worldcoin project under the EU’s data protection rules according to Reuters. 
  • Chinese reporter investigates likely fake Worldcoin KYCs in Africa. 
  • WLD price trades at $2.336, 128% below it's all-time high of $5.278 on Binance. 

Worldcoin (WLD), the project launched by OpenAI’s Sam Altman, is under investigation by German watchdog, Bavarian state regulator. According to a Reuters report, the authority has been investigating Worldcoin for a year.

A Chinese reporter shared details of fake Worldcoin KYC in Africa and shared the story of a source involved in the KYC scam. WLD price is likely to suffer a correction in response to the rising number of allegations and investigations by authorities worldwide.

Also read: Pro-XRP attorney John Deaton considers XRP ruling the most significant non-fraud SEC enforcement action

Worldcoin under investigation by German watchdog 

Reuters reported that a German data watchdog has been investigating OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's Worldcoin project since late 2022. The Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision started investigating Worldcoin on the grounds that the firm is collecting "sensitive data at a very large scale" using new technology. 

The Worldcoin project requires users to get their iris scanned in exchange for a digital ID and offer free tokens in a few countries, in exchange for “identity creation.” The Cayman Islands-based entity told Reuters that it complies with the European Union's rules and will continue to cooperate with governing bodies' requests for information about its privacy and data protection practices.

The project boasts of 2.1 million sign ups over the past two years.

Reporter sheds light on reports of fake Worldcoin KYC in Africa 

While Worldcoin battles intense scrutiny from regulators, Colin Wu, a Chinese reporter shared details of fake Worldcoin KYC in Africa. Wu connected with a source that shared details of the KYC scam and insider details of the fraud.

Wu’s source explained that Worldcoin hired third-party operators in Africa. These operators were responsible for conducting KYC on behalf of others and hired laborers were paid $1 per task. With increasing competition among multiple third-party operators, the wages of laborers increased to $3.

The ordinary Kenyan public’s awareness of Web3 is limited, therefore hired laborers scanned their irises to get paid in exchange, feeding the KYC fraud of the Worldcoin project.

WLD price continues to bleed 

As the critique of the Worldcoin project continues to mount, the WLD price is on a decline. On Binance, WLD price hit an all-time high of $5.278 on July 24. Since then, WLD price lost 128% of its value, dropping to $2.336 at the time of writing.


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



Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.

If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.

FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.

The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.

Join Telegram

Recommended content


Recommended Content

Editors’ Picks

Solana and XRP ETFs may be on the cards in 2025, Standard Chartered analyst says

Solana and XRP ETFs may be on the cards in 2025, Standard Chartered analyst says

Ethereum Exchange Traded Fund approval news has renewed optimism on Solana and XRP ETFs approval in 2025. Analysts at Standard Chartered believe more cryptocurrency ETFs may be approved next year, and these assets will not be classified as securities. 

More Solana News

Uniswap Price Forecast: UNI could be poised for 30% rally after month-long lull

Uniswap Price Forecast: UNI could be poised for 30% rally after month-long lull

Uniswap price has broken out of a 35-day consolidation this week, a sign of a possible rally ahead that could increase the token’s price around 30%. Technical indicators support the bullish thesis, while on-chain data also aligns with it.

More Uniswap News

Dogecoin inspiration Kabosu dies, leaving legacy of $22.86 billion market cap meme coin behind

Dogecoin inspiration Kabosu dies, leaving legacy of $22.86 billion market cap meme coin behind

Kabosu, the popular Shiba Inu dog that inspired the logo of the largest meme coin by market capitalization, Dogecoin, died early on Friday after losing her fight to leukemia and liver disease. Kabosu had gained popularity as the dog behind the viral “doge” meme. 

More Dogecoin News

XRP climbs past $0.53, SEC Chair Gensler says the agency has done very well in court cases

XRP climbs past $0.53, SEC Chair Gensler says the agency has done very well in court cases

Ripple lawsuit ruling is expected soon, following the new US crypto bill, FIT21. SEC Chair Gary Gensler says the agency has fared well in legal battles while speaking at the ICI 2024 Leadership Summit. 

More Ripple News

Bitcoin: BTC struggles, but $80K is at striking distance Premium

Bitcoin: BTC struggles, but $80K is at striking distance

Bitcoin (BTC) price is in a good position to resume the bull rally despite the recent struggle. Optimism will restart if BTC overcomes a critical hurdle and flips it into a foothold. In such a case, the pioneer crypto will be slated to push to a new all-time high (ATH). 

Read full analysis

BTC

ETH

XRP