The number of verifications for Worldcoin, the biometric digital ID and wallet project, has soared recently in Argentina, reaching a daily signup record in August. According to data provided by the project, Worldcoin verified 9,500 Argentine users in a single day, with only four verification stations in the country.
Wordcoin Popularity Peaks in Argentina; Project Reaches 9.5K Verifications in a Day
Worldcoin, the biometric ID and digital wallet project, has recently experienced a surge in popularity in Argentina. According to data provided by the project, Argentina reached a record for signups during August, registering more than 9,500 verifications in a single day.
Worldcoin project co-founder and CEO of Tools for Humanity Alex Blania attributed this high demand to the interest Argentine citizens have in crypto and innovative tech tools. At the Ethereum Argentina Mainnet Stage, he stated:
I think the first major thing that stands out is that Argentina specifically is one of the most crypto-forward countries in the world.
Furthermore, Blania explained that the combination of this crypto forward thinking and tech advancements made Argentina fertile ground for this kind of initiative. Blania detailed that the country was considered an “explosive building ground for the next wave of innovation in this space.”
The high popularity of the project in Argentina also propelled World App, the digital wallet app of the Wordcoin project, to occupy the first place in the Apple App Store temporarily, followed by apps like Mercado Pago, Whatsapp, and Tiktok. Worldcoin achieved this milestone with only four verification “Orbs” — Wordcoin’s iris scanning devices — located in Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata, Cordoba, and Mendoza.
Legal Challenges
Nonetheless, the high popularity of the project in Argentina has put Worldcoin in the sights of regulators, which ordered a probe into the project and its data treatment procedures.
On August 7, the Public Information Access Agency (AAIP), the data comptroller organization in the country, sent a letter to the Worldcoin Foundation, prompting it to comply with the Argentine Personal Data Protection Act, which mandates any project that requires customer data to register with the organization and report on the measures the project takes to preserve the confidentiality of its users.
In other countries, Worldcoin has also faced heavy scrutiny by governments. Kenyan, Bavarian, and French data regulators are preparing actions against Worldcoin.
What do you think about the popularity of Worldcoin in Argentina, even when facing legal challenges? Tell us in the comments section below.