The Reason Thousands of Chileans Are Willing to Scan Their Eyes to Get Worldcoin Crypto (WLD)

Worldcoin uses an iron ball-shaped device called The Orb for eye scanning. (Photo; Doc. Coin98)

JAKARTA - Worldcoin, a crypto project that offers tokens in exchange for human eye scans, has achieved mixed reception in Chile. More than 200,000 people in the country have scanned their eyeballs for Worldcoin (WLD) tokens, worth around 42 US dollars (equivalent to IDR 653 thousand) per scan.

One participant, Carlos Santibañez, revealed that he has earned more than 150 US dollars (IDR 2.3 million) from his eyeball scans since September 2022. Santibañez noted that Worldcoin's data collection is less invasive compared to other companies, and he sees it as an opportunity to earn extra money.

The Worldcoin project has attracted attention especially in developing countries such as Argentina and Kenya, where minimum incomes are low. However, Kenyan authorities have banned Worldcoin's operations due to privacy reasons.

Although most people in Chile have welcomed the project, some are skeptical and see it as an opportunity to earn a little free money. While a small number of people signed up, many wondered why people were standing in long queues just to get crypto rewards.

While Chile is known for its economic freedom and technological development, only about 1% of the country's population has signed up for Worldcoin. A local anthropologist suggested that Worldcoin's success may be due to economic incentives, especially considering the country's low minimum wage.

Although the project has faced controversy, support from a number of key figures in the crypto space and varying views from regulators in different countries reflect the complexity of acceptance of crypto across the world.