What World Foundation does

World Foundation is a Cayman Islands-incorporated exempted foundation company established in October 2022 to act as the steward of World Network, an open-source decentralized identity and financial network built on the combination of privacy-preserving identity credentials, blockchain-based smart contracts, hardware devices, and digital assets. The Foundation's core product is the World ID Protocol, which allows a user to prove they are a unique human without revealing personal data using zero-knowledge proofs generated through the Orb biometric iris-scanning device — a hardware product manufactured and distributed by Tools for Humanity under license from the Foundation. The supporting technology stack includes World Chain, an EVM-compatible Layer-2 blockchain on which the Foundation builds; the WLD digital asset with a fixed 10 billion supply, distributed via the Foundation's wholly-owned subsidiary World Assets Limited (BVI); and the World App self-custodial mobile wallet that serves as the primary user interface for token grants, referral rewards, and voting features.

World Foundation does not operate a commercial revenue model. As a memberless nonprofit governed by a four-director board (including Weinberger Ventures GmbH and a Cayman-based professional director), it stewards the network and distributes 75% of all WLD tokens to the community of verified users rather than earning revenue from sales. Growth is driven through three concurrent go-to-market motions: a product-led motion via the World App download and Orb verification flow; a community-led motion in which individual, community, and retail Orb operators physically onboard new users; and an API-first motion in which third-party developers integrate the World ID SDK and build applications on World Chain. The Foundation reports approximately 13 employees and runs lean, with operational dependencies concentrated in Tools for Humanity for Orb manufacturing, World App maintenance, and operator vetting.

The Foundation serves three primary segments: privacy-conscious individuals globally seeking identity verification without surrendering personal data; developers and builders integrating World ID authentication or deploying applications on World Chain; and government and enterprise entities exploring decentralized identity infrastructure aligned with U.N. Sustainable Development Goal 16. Operations span globally with regional entities in Germany (World Network Europe GmbH, the EU/EFTA/UK data controller under GDPR) and a Cayman/BVI corporate hierarchy, though product availability is restricted in certain jurisdictions including New York State and for users subject to specified sanctions lists.

Name

World Foundation

Legal name

World Foundation

Website

https://worldcoin.foundation

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

World Foundation is a Cayman Islands nonprofit that stewards World Network, an open-source protocol combining zero-knowledge identity credentials (World ID), an EVM Layer-2 blockchain (World Chain), the WLD token, and biometric Orb hardware to enable privacy-preserving human verification globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Decentralized Digital Identity Infrastructure

NAICS

Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) (5331), Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) (533)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Decentralized Identity (DID) & Verifiable Credentials (BPAMAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Decentralized Identity (DID) & Identity Wallets (DID methods, DIDComm, identity agents) (FSAPACAG), Smart Contract Wallets / Account Abstraction (MPC/AA, social recovery, paymasters) (FSAPACAB), Compliance, Risk & RegTech for Tokenized Assets (KYC/AML, sanctions, travel rule, reporting) (FSAPAIAH), Wallet Infrastructure (SDKs, Wallet-as-a-Service) (FSADACAD), Identity Verification & Digital ID (IDV, eIDAS, biometrics) (FSAGAFAA)

Keywords

• Digital identity verification
• Decentralized identity
• Blockchain infrastructure
• Biometric authentication
• Cryptocurrency network

Headquarters

HQ city

George Town, Grand Cayman

HQ country

Cayman Islands

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. World Foundation (Nonprofit Operations): World Foundation is a nonprofit organization incorporated in the Cayman Islands as an exempted limited guarantee foundation company. It has no owners or shareholders and serves as the steward of World Network, supporting and growing the network until it becomes fully self-sufficient. Revenue model is not explicitly described as the Foundation focuses on mission-driven stewardship rather than commercial revenue generation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

World Foundation stewards World Network, an open-source public utility combining the World ID Protocol (a privacy-preserving global identity credential proven via zero-knowledge proofs), World Chain (an EVM-compatible Layer-2 blockchain), the WLD token (fixed supply of 10 billion), and the World App mobile wallet. Verified humans can claim free WLD token grants through the World App after Orb-based biometric verification, while third-party developers integrate the World ID SDK to add human verification into their own applications.

Product overview

World Foundation serves as the steward of World Network, a decentralized identity and financial network built on blockchain technology. The unified platform consists of the World ID Protocol (for proving unique human identity while preserving privacy), World Chain (EVM-compatible Layer-2 blockchain), the WLD token (Worldcoin cryptocurrency), and supporting features accessed through the World App. World ID SDK enables third-party development on top of the protocol. Users access features including Worldcoin Grant, Referral Rewards, and World Voting through the World App. The Orb hardware device provides biometric verification for World ID registration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• World ID Protocol: The Protocol allows a person to prove they are a real and unique human while preserving privacy.
• Worldcoin Grant
• WLD Vault
• World Vote
• Worldcoin

Products and services

• World ID Protocol

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Tools for Humanity Corporation (TFH)coreTechnology or IntegrationTools for Humanity is the primary technology partner and operator for World Network. TFH manufactures and distributes Orb devices under license from World Foundation, provides and maintains the World App (the first World Network-compatible wallet), provides software development and maintenance services, administers qualification processes for Orb operators, and identifies and vets Orb operators. TFH is a U.S.-based company involved in the development of World Network. World Foundation relies on TFH for key operational functions including component supply and manufacturing capacity for Orbs.
• World Assets LimitedcoreOthersWorld Assets Limited is a British Virgin Islands limited company and a subsidiary of World Foundation. World Foundation is the sole member and sole director of World Assets Ltd. World Assets Ltd. is responsible for distributing 75% of all Worldcoin tokens (WLD) allocated to the World Network community, and is solely responsible for the content of the World documentation at whitepaper.world.org.
• World Chain LLCcoreOthersWorld Chain LLC is a Cayman Islands limited liability company and one of the entities that, together with World Foundation, forms 'World.' World Chain LLC is responsible for the World Chain blockchain infrastructure.
• World Network (Europe) GmbHcoreOthersWorld Network (Europe) GmbH is a German limited liability company and part of the World group. For European Jurisdiction users (EU, EFTA States, UK) who use Features other than Referral Rewards or Grants, this entity serves as the data controller and contracting party.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Civic: Decentralized identity verification platform offering reusable KYC/identity proofs on-chain via the Civic Pass. Comparable because it sells privacy-preserving human-verification infrastructure to Web3 applications — directly competing for the same developer use case.
• Spruce ID: Provides decentralized identity and verifiable credential tooling used by government and enterprise (notably the U.S. CDC's digital vaccine credential work). Comparable as a DID/VC protocol provider focused on user-controlled identity for Web2 and Web3 applications.
• Polygon ID: Polygon Labs' self-sovereign identity protocol offering decentralized identity and verifiable credentials built on EVM-compatible infrastructure. Comparable as a direct DID/VC competitor targeting Web3 developers with a similar zero-knowledge approach.
• Tools for Humanity: The principal technology and operating partner for World Network — manufactures the Orb, operates the World App, and vets Orb operators. Comparable because it executes the commercial and operational layer of the same identity/financial network that the Foundation stewards.
• BrightID: Open-source social identity graph for proof of personhood without biometrics. Comparable as a competing proof-of-personhood primitive for Web3 sybil resistance, differentiated by avoiding biometric hardware.

Emerging players

• Humanity Protocol: Proof-of-humanhood network using palm-recognition biometrics to issue verifiable credentials on-chain. Comparable as an emerging direct competitor in the biometric proof-of-personhood category, using a less invasive biometric than iris.
• Idena: Proof-of-personhood protocol using synchronous validation ceremonies and AI-resistant puzzles to certify humanness. Comparable as an emerging alternative to biometric proof-of-personhood for Web3 applications.
• Galxe: Web3 identity and credentialing platform issuing verifiable on-chain credentials tied to wallet activity and identity attestations. Comparable as an ecosystem player competing for developer mindshare in Web3 identity and sybil resistance.

Broad incumbents

• Persona: Identity verification platform offering KYC, document, and biometric verification APIs for enterprises. Comparable as a broad incumbent in identity verification whose capabilities overlap with the use cases World ID targets (anti-fraud, human verification) but without a decentralized architecture.
• Microsoft Entra Verified ID: Microsoft's enterprise decentralized identity product built on verifiable credentials standards, integrated with Azure AD. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering enterprise-grade DID/VC capabilities as part of a much larger identity portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/worldnetwork
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@worldnetworkofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/worldfdn
• Instagraminstagram.com/world
• TikToktiktok.com/@worldnetwork

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about World Foundation