Worldcoin’s WLD Jumps 8% on Grayscale ETF Filing
The asset manager's S-1 for a spot WLD fund would be the first U.S. ETF tied to Sam Altman's biometric crypto project.
Worldcoin's native token WLD surged approximately 8% following news that asset manager Grayscale Investments filed an S-1 registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a spot WLD exchange-traded fund. If approved, the proposed fund would mark the first U.S.-listed ETF directly tied to the biometric cryptocurrency project co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Worldcoin, which rebranded its broader ecosystem under the World project name, uses iris-scanning hardware called the Orb to verify human identity on the blockchain, issuing WLD tokens to participants in exchange for biometric data. The project has attracted both significant investment and regulatory scrutiny across multiple jurisdictions, with several countries raising privacy concerns over its data collection practices.
Grayscale's filing signals growing institutional appetite for assets beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum, extending the ETF conversation into altcoin territory. The move follows the successful launch of spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs in the United States, which collectively attracted billions in inflows and demonstrated sustained demand for regulated crypto investment vehicles among traditional investors.
Market observers will be watching closely for any SEC response to the filing, including potential requests for additional information or formal review timelines. Regulatory reception of a biometric-linked crypto ETF could set a precedent for how U.S. authorities approach more unconventional digital asset products in the months ahead.
Source: Decrypt
