Thailand Orders Sam Altman’s World Project to Stop Operations and Delete 1.2 Million Iris Scans Over Data Law Violations

Thailand Orders Sam Altman’s World Project to Halt and Delete 1.2 Million Iris Scans

Behind the bright promise of a safer digital identity, a hard stop has arrived in Thailand.

Authorities have ordered World — the digital identity project backed by Sam Altman — to suspend all activity in the country and permanently erase biometric data collected from Thai residents.

Around 1.2 million iris scans are now under deletion orders, placing one of the world’s most controversial identity projects under an even harsher spotlight.

Violation Of Thailand’s Data Protection Law Sparks Immediate Shutdown

The instruction was issued by Thailand’s National Economic and Social Development Board and confirmed by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society.

Officials said World’s practice of collecting iris data in exchange for its WLD token breached the country’s Personal Data Protection Act, which strictly controls how sensitive personal information can be gathered, stored and used.

Source: Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society

Thailand’s data protection authorities concluded that biometric data, especially information that cannot be changed like an iris pattern, had been collected in a way that failed to meet legal standards of consent and data handling.

Raid In October Raised Deeper Concerns Over Unregulated Activity

The latest move follows an October raid on a World-linked iris-scanning site in Bangkok.

The operation involved the Thai Securities and Exchange Commission and the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, which were investigating suspected violations of local digital asset laws.

Authorities arrested individuals accused of running an unlicensed exchange that was handling WLD transactions, exposing users to potential risks tied to fraud and money laundering.

These individuals were said to be unaffiliated with Tools for Humanity, the company behind World.

The investigation strengthened regulators’ concerns that the platform’s expansion in Thailand was not only a data issue, but also part of a broader, unregulated crypto activity risk.

World Pauses Operations And Removes Thailand From Orb Map

World’s local unit, known as TIDC Worldverse, confirmed it had stopped all verification processes in Thailand.

The country has now been removed from the list of locations where the company’s Orb scanning devices are active.

The company said,

“We have complied with local regulations and will continue to maintain open communication with the authorities,”

Later, it added that the pause came “despite our compliance with local laws and regulations and having presented information to regulators openly and transparently.”

The company also warned that the decision would affect millions of Thai users who rely on its system for protection against scams, identity theft and AI-driven fraud.

Biometric Data Concerns Spread Beyond Thailand

Thailand’s action adds to a growing list of countries challenging World’s approach to biometric collection.

In October 2025, Colombia ordered the deletion of biometric data and suspended operations.

The Philippines issued similar measures.

Regulators in Germany, Kenya, Brazil, Indonesia, Portugal, Spain and Hong Kong have also raised objections around privacy, consent and long-term security risks.

In parts of Europe, authorities ruled that even anonymised iris codes count as personal data under GDPR, which demands stricter protection.

Other regulators criticised the model of offering tokens in exchange for scans, arguing that financial incentives compromise true consent.

In response, World has started shifting to a Secure Multi-Party Computation system, releasing an upgraded Orb with more transparency and introducing a non-biometric verification method using passports and NFC.

The company also says older iris codes are being deleted as part of privacy upgrades and that no raw biometric data is stored directly on the Orb.

The company repeated in its defence,

“We ensure that all data collected is anonymised and protected from breaches.”

WLD Token Slips As Supply And Regulation Weigh On Market

The regulatory clampdown has added pressure on Worldcoin’s price.

After Thailand’s order, WLD slid to an intraday low of $0.6172 before edging up slightly to around $0.6594.

The token remains in a deep downturn, nearly 95% below its March 2024 all-time high and down about 33% over the past year.

Adding to the drag, 37 million WLD tokens, worth around $23 million, were unlocked in November 2025 and quickly moved to exchanges.

The increased supply has added to selling pressure at a fragile time.

Thai exchanges including Binance Thailand, Bitkub and Orbix have told users to be cautious.

One notice read:

“Given the significance of this information which may potentially affect users’ rights and interests… advises all users to exercise caution and careful judgment when trading or holding WLD tokens.”

Despite The Ban, Global Expansion Continues

While Thailand closes its doors, World’s global footprint keeps expanding.

The company has launched its World ID service in the United States and the Philippines.

The World App now claims more than 37 million users and over 100 million verifications across 160 countries, showing that demand and resistance are growing in parallel.

Can World Break Through Growing Global Resistance

World’s ambition to prove human identity in an online world filled with AI is timely, and in many ways, necessary.

Yet the method — trading permanent biometric data for access and tokens — is where trust continues to break down.

Countries are not rejecting the idea of digital identity.

They are rejecting the cost at which it is being built.

If World is to move forward, the future will likely depend less on Orbs and more on transparency, consent without reward, and systems that put people — not technology — at the centre of control.