Worldcoin Launches Orb Mini, But Critics Question Data Safety

Tools for Humanity, co-founded by Sam Altman and Alex Blania, rolled out the Orb Mini in San Francisco—a sleek, handheld scanner that reads your iris to prove you're human.

With two glinting sensors and the silhouette of a smartphone, it turns a quick biometric scan into a permanent World ID on the blockchain.

The promise was freedom—“It goes where you go.” But the crypto community wasn’t convinced. Almost immediately, the rollout drew criticism over whether the device was truly usable—and whether asking people to surrender their biometric data was ever ethical in the first place.

Presentation and Technical Overview

Revealed at Tools for Humanity’s At Last event in San Francisco, Orb Mini was introduced by device lead Rich Heley, formerly with Apple. Designed by industrial designer Thomas Meyerhoffer, the Orb Mini blends the familiar feel of a smartphone with cutting-edge biometric tech—featuring dual top-mounted iris scanners built for seamless user verification.

With every scan, the Orb creates a cryptographically sealed World ID, inscribed on the blockchain for permanence and proof. The network has already grown to include over 26 million people, 12 million of whom have completed verification—through either the original Orb or the newly launched Mini.

Tools for Humanity aims to install some 7,500 Orb units across the United States by the close of the year.

Сheck this out: World ID Project Suspends Operations in Brazil

Backlash and Biometric Doubts

The crypto community didn’t hold back after the Orb Mini reveal, with critiques and ridicule coming from both ends of the spectrum.

The thing about humans is they can tell when a human is in front of them. When something is slightly off, they can experience the uncanny valley, an uncomfortable feeling similar to when your date tries to scan your eyeball,

Alicia Katz of Euler Finance summed up the discomfort with biting clarity.

Users on X also questioned the product’s purpose. In response, the project addressed concerns in replies beneath its launch video.

Worldcoin Faces Regulatory Fire but Keeps Building

In addition to public skepticism, Tools for Humanity is under scrutiny from regulators. Indonesia suspended Worldcoin’s registration on May 5, citing fears over biometric data misuse. Germany, Kenya, and Brazil had already raised similar red flags.

Read on: Kenyan Court Orders World Foundation to Delete Biometric Data

Despite the setbacks, the company has forged ahead with its U.S. expansion—launching the World Network and opening offline hubs in six major cities.