Sam Altman's dismissal from OpenAI leaves Worldcoin's future in doubt.

Sam Altman has stepped down as CEO of OpenAI and left its board, as announced in a recent company post. However, his involvement with Worldcoin, a cryptocurrency project he co-founded, remains uncertain following his departure from OpenAI.

Following the announcement, Worldcoin's token, WLD, experienced a notable drop, declining over 13% to $1.91, according to CoinMarketCap. Despite inquiries from TechCrunch, Worldcoin did not comment on Altman's ongoing role or the project's future direction.

In May, Worldcoin raised $115 million in a Series C funding round led by Blockchain Capital. Although Altman was reported to be on Worldcoin's board as of March, his day-to-day involvement with the project was minimal.

Worldcoin uses a device called the Orb to scan users' irises, generating a unique "iris code" or "World ID." This process, as explained by Tiago Sada, Head of Product for Tools for Humanity and a key contributor to Worldcoin, is designed to provide users with a digital passport, enabling them to access the project's app and ensuring they don't register multiple times.

The project, however, faced criticism and regulatory challenges, particularly in Kenya, where authorities halted further iris scanning activities. Critics have accused Worldcoin of exploiting populations in developing economies by offering participants (except in the U.S. and some countries) 25 WLD tokens, valued at approximately $48, in exchange for enrollment.

Sada defended the approach, arguing that focusing on emerging markets is common in crypto and tech because they are easier to operate in. He also justified the distribution of free tokens in these regions.

OpenAI's statement on Friday indicated a loss of confidence in Altman's leadership but did not elaborate on the reasons for his removal or his status with other ventures like Worldcoin.

As of early November, Worldcoin's app has surpassed four million downloads, with over 2.4 million unique users. In the preceding week, around 53,800 new accounts were created, and the platform saw over 59,000 daily wallet transactions, as per Worldcoin's website.