Worldcoin Responds to Kenyan Government’s Suspension, Pauses Verification Process

Worldcoin has issued a statement in response to the Kenyan government’s decision to suspend its operations in the country due to security and privacy concerns. The suspension was announced by Interior Secretary Kithure Kindiki following reports of long queues at data collection points in Nairobi.

The project, co-founded by Sam Altman of OpenAI and Alex Blanca, went live globally this week, attracting users to the data collection points to receive tokens worth approximately Ksh.7,000 ($45). However, users are required to undergo iris pattern scans to verify their human status before receiving the tokens.

In light of the suspension, Worldcoin stated that it will temporarily halt its verification process in Kenya as a precaution to manage crowd volume. The company plans to develop an onboarding program with enhanced crowd control measures and work with local authorities to ensure understanding of its privacy measures.

Despite the suspension, Worldcoin expressed commitment to providing privacy-preserving and decentralized access to the digital economy. The company aims to resume services in Kenya while cooperating with regulators and stakeholders to address concerns and ensure compliance.

Worldcoin emphasized its dedication to transparent dialogue and adherence to Kenyan regulations, with the goal of fostering a thriving digital economy in the country.