• Kenyan police raided a warehouse belonging to the recently launched crypto project Worldcoin over the weekend.
• The raid was conducted with a search warrant and multi-agency officials, with equipment believed to store data collected by Worldcoin being taken away.
• The suspension of all activities related to Worldcoin’s registration and distribution of its native token WLD was ordered by the Kenyan government due to suspicions around its legality and authenticity.
Kenyan Police Raid WorldCoin Warehouse
Kenyan police officers have reportedly raided a warehouse belonging to the recently launched crypto project Worldcoin, carting away documents and machines for investigative purposes. According to a report by local media KahawaTungu, police officers showed up at the Nairobi-based warehouse over the weekend with a search warrant and multi-agency officials. They left with equipment believed to store data collected by Worldcoin.
Suspension of All Activities Related To WorldCoin
Relevant agencies want to investigate the legality and authenticity of the project’s launch. Kenyan government ordered the suspension of all activities related to Worldcoin’s registration and the distribution of its native token WLD on August 2, less than two weeks after the project’s launch.
What is WorldCoin?
Worldcoin was launched in July as a decentralized identification project to differentiate humans from artificial intelligence bots. Using a proof-of-person concept, the project claims to preserve privacy while combating income inequality. The most controversial part of the Worldcoin project is the requirement for users to prove their humanity online by scanning their irises through a biometric verification device called Orb and afterward receive free WLD tokens.
Who is Behind This Project?
The project’s team is led by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman who said that it will help bridge “the digital divide between those who have access to technology and those who don’t” through using cryptocurrency incentives as an incentive for people in developing countries to join this new system.
Data Commissioner’s Concerns
Data Commissioner Immaculate Kassait said that Tools for Humanity (WorldCoin’s parent company) did not reveal its true intentions during registration which has caused some concerns about legalities surrounding this new venture into cryptocurrency techonology in Kenya .