Photo credit: Worldcoin on X

The Worldcoin Foundation has rolled out its World ID orb verifications in Austria as the company expands its proof of humanity technology in Europe.

Iris-scanning orbs will take post at multiple locations in the country’s capital of Vienna, allowing anyone over 18 years old to join the 6.3 million the company claims are participating in the Worldcoin network, according to a July 31 statement.

The project aims to create a universal digital identity and financial network by scanning people’s irises using futuristic “orb” style devices and launching Worldcoin — the platform’s native digital token — and a “globally recognized” digital ID.

The Austrian launch comes after Worldcoin had already rolled out its orbs in Berlin, Germany, claiming a growing interest in the proof of humanness technology in Europe.

The project’s European expansion appears to be part of its planned rollout of 1,500 orbs in over 35 cities around the world.

“In a 2024 survey in Spain, 82% of the 21,000 World ID holders who responded agreed that technologies such as Worldcoin/World ID are important for distinguishing between humans and bots online (13% were unsure),” the organization wrote.

“Similarly, in Portugal, more than 3 in 4 (77%) of the 19,000 World ID holders who responded agree that Worldcoin can have a positive impact on their digital interactions (13% were unsure),” it added.

As the project seeks to establish a universal digital identity and financial network using biometric data, it has sparked debate over privacy concerns and the potential misuse of such technology. Regulators in Spain and Portugal have issued temporary bans on Worldcoin's operations, citing insufficient information, unauthorized data collection from minors, and concerns about data deletion and consent withdrawal.

Outside of Europe, the project also faces regulatory scrutiny in Kenya and Hong Kong.

Despite the concerns around Worldcoin, it has grown apace since its launch last year. Worldcoin’s native wallet, the World App, has reportedly garnered 10 million users across over 160 countries in less than a year, with two million daily active users and over 70 million transactions processed.

Earlier this month, the foundation unveiled the World Chain developer preview, a tool for global developers to build on the layer-2 World Chain ahead of its mainnet launch.