Worldcoin: Buy, Sell, or Hold in 2026?

Core Viewpoint - Worldcoin is positioned as a service that provides proof-of-personhood (PoP) to combat the increasing prevalence of bots and AI agents on the internet, suggesting a future demand for such verification services [1]. Investment Thesis - The investment case for Worldcoin is based on the premise that proving humanness could become a standard practice for online identity verification, similar to password logins, leading to widespread adoption of PoP technology by developers [4]. - As websites and services utilize Worldcoin's platform for identity verification, they will need to purchase and hold the coin, potentially creating a price floor and upward price pressure if adoption increases [5]. - Current holders of Worldcoin may benefit from holding the asset if they believe in the growing importance of proving humanness, with potential for significant returns if the market moves favorably [5]. Adoption Challenges - Despite the speculative buy case, Worldcoin faces significant adoption hurdles, as the requirement for users to undergo iris scanning for non-medical reasons may deter many from participating [6]. - Regulatory scrutiny poses additional risks, with various jurisdictions expressing concerns over the collection of biometric data [7]. Regulatory Issues - Spain's data protection authority has mandated a halt to Worldcoin's data collection and processing as of March 2024, while Hong Kong's privacy regulator has also ordered the cessation of operations in May 2024, indicating a challenging regulatory environment [8].