World, the digital identity and online verification project co-founded by OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman, has raised $52.5 million through a private sale of its WLD cryptocurrency token. The fundraising was completed through a token sale subject to a 12-month lockup, requiring participating investors to hold the tokens for at least one year before they can be sold or traded. The proceeds will be directed to the World Foundation, a Cayman Islands-based nonprofit organization responsible for overseeing the development and expansion of the World network. The financing was led by Pantera Capital, with other participants including Bain Capital Crypto, Susquehanna Crypto, Eightco Holdings and Selini Capital, alongside several additional institutional investors. The project aims to distinguish humans from AI-generated accounts through what it calls “proof of human” technology, using a biometric authentication system centered on iris recognition. Users receive a World ID by scanning their eyes using a device known as the Orb, which captures an image of the iris and converts it into a unique encrypted cryptographic identifier. The project is operated by San Francisco-based startup Tools for Humanity (TFH), founded by Altman and Chief Executive Alex Blania.