Chiara Bianchi
Sam Altman’s World project (WLD) has witnessed a stunning rally, with its token price climbing over 80% in less than 48 hours. The surge coincided with the launch of a $250 million WLD digital asset treasury announced by Eightco Holdings Inc. on Monday.
Just hours before the official statement, WLD was already gaining momentum, signaling strong market anticipation. As of Tuesday morning, the token was trading at $1.87, up more than 20% in a single day, according to PRIME’s price tracker.
The World initiative — previously branded as Worldcoin — has become a high-profile crypto experiment thanks to Altman’s leadership as OpenAI’s CEO. Developed by Tools for Humanity, the project distributes WLD tokens to individuals who register for a World ID, which requires an iris scan from its futuristic silver orb device.
Supporters argue that this biometric system could become a key standard for distinguishing humans from AI-driven bots as artificial intelligence adoption accelerates across the internet.
Strategic Support From Eightco and Institutional Backers
On Monday, Eightco (NASDAQ: OCTO) confirmed it had raised $250 million through a private placement, issuing more than 170 million shares of common stock. Additionally, BitMine, the world’s largest corporate Ethereum holder, received $20 million in shares.
The funding round was led by MOZAYYX and backed by a roster of major institutional investors, including the World Foundation, Pantera, Kraken, Discovery Capital Management, GAMA, Coinfund, FalconX, GSR, Occam Crest, Diametric, and Brevan Howard.
Dan Ives, who was named chairman of the WLD digital asset treasury, told CNBC:
“I believe iris scanning will become the default standard for identifying humans and separating them from bots online.”
Digital Asset Treasuries Gain Traction
The creation of a WLD digital asset treasury (DAT) aligns with a broader industry trend, where token projects and investors are increasingly turning to capital markets to accumulate and manage crypto reserves.
Eightco’s stock initially skyrocketed, jumping over 3,000% in Monday trading, before cooling off with an 18% decline on Tuesday, according to Yahoo Finance.
Looking Ahead for WLD
With WLD still trading far below its March 2024 all-time high of $11, the recent momentum suggests renewed investor confidence in Altman’s project. If adoption of World ID continues to expand, WLD could gain further traction as both a technological and financial innovation.
