This week, Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Committee ordered World, Sam Altman’s iris-scanning project, to delete more than 1.2 million biometric records collected in the country.
The ruling also forces the company to suspend all activities in Thailand, marking one of the strongest regulatory actions yet against a crypto-linked identity system.
Thailand Draws a Line on Biometric Data
According to Thailand’s minister of digital economy and society, Chaichanok Chidchob, the shutdown follows a formal investigation by an expert panel. The group reviewed whether World’s model of giving cryptocurrency to users in exchange for iris scans violated Thailand’s data protection act. The panel concluded that collecting sensitive biometric data in return for digital tokens broke the law because citizens cannot properly consent when financial incentives are tied to personal identity.
Biometric data refers to information that identifies someone based on unique physical features such as an iris pattern or fingerprint. Because it cannot be changed or replaced, governments treat it as highly sensitive. Thailand’s order requiring the deletion of over one million records underscores how seriously regulators view this type of information. The company has already stopped iris scanning in the country, according to the Bangkok Post, and authorities say all related systems must remain offline until further notice.
According to DLNews, Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Committee (PDPC) has ordered World, the digital identity project co-founded by Sam Altman (formerly Worldcoin), to delete more than 1.2 million iris scan records collected in Thailand and to suspend all operations in the…
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) November 26, 2025
There is also a rising trend of governments enforcing stronger data protection laws. The European Union’s privacy framework, for example, has pushed companies to rethink how they store and process personal information. Thailand’s decision fits into this wider movement. It shows that global regulators are not willing to give crypto projects special treatment when personal data is involved.
More About WorldCoin
The latest data on TOP 5 Chains by 3-Month Net Inflows shows strong momentum across several ecosystems, with Arbitrum leading the pack at $1.6B in net inflows. Right behind it, Starknet has posted $540M in new capital and delivered standout performance. It includes 2x growth of $STRK against the broader market.
TOP 5 Chains by 3-Month Net Inflows@arbitrum leads the list with $1.6B in net inflows.@Starknet comes next with solid recent performance – +$540M and 2x growth of $STRK against the market.@edgeX_exchange is third, followed by WorldChain and Ink. pic.twitter.com/rwBfa0C1BT
— CryptoRank.io (@CryptoRank_io) November 20, 2025
In third place is edgeX_exchange, followed by rising ecosystems WorldChain and Ink, rounding out a strong quarter for on-chain liquidity.
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