WORLDCOIN-FOUNDATION
15.5.2024 15:03:34 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
The Worldcoin Foundation today announced it launched and is open sourcing a novel secure multi-party computation (SMPC) system. The system, available now in a GitHub repository for any organization to use, aims to set a new standard for data protection, including the protection of biometric data. The Worldcoin Foundation also announced that, after the migration of iris codes to the new SMPC system, the previous uniqueness-checking system, including iris codes, was securely deleted.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240515285506/en/
Worldcoin Foundation Launches, Open Sources "Perfect Secrecy" SMPC System to Help Organizations Strengthen Biometric Data Security Protections (Graphic: Business Wire)
Biometric authentication use increases as data breach frequency and impact rise
Organizations in the private and public sector increasingly require and use consumers’ biometric data for everyday services and activities, from building access and airport security to logging into healthcare and financial services apps. Underscoring the increase, a Fortune Business Insights report projected the global biometric system market size to reach $76.70 billion USD in 2029, 2.5x its total of $30.77 billion in 2022.
Meanwhile, research from MIT Professor Stuart Madnick indicates a 20% increase in data breaches from 2022 to 2023 while globally the number of victims of such breaches doubled over the same time period.
The convergence of these trends suggests a need to further advance data protection technologies. While Worldcoin is neither an authentication nor an identification use case for biometrics (the Worldcoin Foundation does not know the identity of their users), the Foundation’s new open source SMPC system can serve as a building block to set a new standard in biometric data security.
Worldcoin Foundation’s SMPC system
SMPC has been lauded by privacy and security experts alike. It can be thought of as taking one secret and sharing it in multiple parts across different parties for increased protection. Importantly, none of the individual parts alone say anything about the original secret, thus making it impossible for any individual party to decrypt the secret.
This SMPC approach demonstrates perfect information-theoretic security, meaning it is effective even against quantum-computing. SMPC systems have generally been too resource-intensive to be effectively used for large complex computations. This is why, despite their impressive privacy protective qualities, they have not yet seen extensive use in biometric template protection.
The Worldcoin Foundation, along with contributor-technologists from TACEO and Tools for Humanity, have successfully architected a new implementation of SMPC to address the scale and cost constraints that have previously hindered others. The new SMPC system, which encrypts iris codes into secret shares held by multiple parties, enabled the Worldcoin Foundation to permanently delete iris codes generated through its previous uniqueness-checking system.
“The community supporting Worldcoin will never stop developing, testing and deploying the most advanced technologies focusing on security, privacy and data protection as it works to improve trust online and increase access to the global economy,” said Jannick Preiwisch, Data Protection Officer of the Worldcoin Foundation. “Implementation of the new SMPC system enabled the Worldcoin Foundation to delete old iris codes by permanently encrypting them to SMPC shares that by themselves cannot be related to an identified person. The development of this new system demonstrates an unparalleled commitment to further compliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation and other data protection regimes across the world. It also complements advancements aimed at providing consumers increased choice and control over their data including personal custody and the ability to unverify their World IDs.”
About the Worldcoin Foundation
The Worldcoin Foundation, a steward of the Worldcoin protocol, aims to realize more inclusive, fair and just institutions of governance and of the global digital economy.
About the Worldcoin Protocol
The Worldcoin protocol is intended to be the world’s largest, most inclusive identity and financial public utility and to be accessible by everyone. Worldcoin was originally conceived by Sam Altman, Alex Blania and Max Novendstern. The Worldcoin protocol is designed to empower individuals and organizations around the world with the tools they need to participate in the digital economy and advance humanity's progress. Find out more about Worldcoin at www.worldcoin.org, on Twitter/X, Discord, YouTube and Telegram.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240515285506/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Convatec Survey Challenges Assumptions About Leakage in Ostomy Care6.10.2026 09:00:00 CEST | Press release
New global findings highlight the role of peristomal skin health in improving outcomes and confidence for people living with an ostomy Convatec, a leading medical products and technologies company focused on solutions for the management of chronic conditions, today released Rethinking leakage in ostomy care, new international research highlighting a significant gap in how peristomal skin health is understood and managed in ostomy care. The findings indicate that skin health plays a critical role in preventing leakage, and supporting confidence in daily life, yet remains widely under-recognised in routine care. For many people, leakage is not only a clinical or product issue; it can shape whether they feel able to travel, exercise, socialise or take part fully in everyday life. More than half of respondents said they avoid such activities due to worry about their ostomy. The results of the survey, which included more than 1,800 people living with an ostomy and over 400 healthcare profes
Oulu2026 Boosts Tourism as Björk, Art and Technology Lead the European Capital of Culture Year’s Finale6.10.2026 09:00:00 CEST | Press release
The Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture programme has attracted visitors to northern Finland and contributed to strong tourism growth. According to Visit Oulu statistics, Oulu recorded nearly 475,000 registered overnight stays between January and August 2026, an increase of 12 per cent year on year. International overnight stays rose by 21 per cent to more than 96,600, while domestic overnight stays increased by 9 per cent. The trend continued in August, when international overnight stays grew by almost 29 per cent year on year. Hundreds of events combining art, technology, science, music, theatre and sport continue throughout the final months of 2026. “The programme’s diversity is clearest in the final months. There is something for culture enthusiasts and families alike, with experiences that cannot be found anywhere else. If ever there was a time to visit Oulu, it is now,” says Samu Forsblom, Programme Director of Oulu2026. A major highlight is the Lumo Art & Tech Festival, taking
Ant International and HSBC Expand Real-Time Treasury Management Services to the Middle East6.10.2026 08:30:00 CEST | Press release
Collaboration extends Ant International’s use of tokenised deposits in UAE, supporting faster treasury transactions Ant International today announced an expanded collaboration with HSBC to enhance real-time treasury management services in the Middle East. By leveraging HSBC’s global Tokenised Deposit Service (TDS), Ant International aims to improve the efficiency of its treasury operations across the region. As part of the collaboration, Ant International has successfully completed pilot transactions across two payment corridors connecting the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong: Intra-UAE dirham transfers: Real-time, dirham-denominated tokenised deposit transactions within the UAE. Cross-border US dollar payments initiated from the UAE: US dollar-denominated tokenised deposit transfers between the UAE and international markets, including Hong Kong and Singapore. These transactions were initiated via WhaleRTP – Ant International’s proprietary, blockchain-based real-time treasury managem
RoslinCT Awarded £7.25 million Scottish Enterprise R&D Grant to Advance Digital Cell Therapy Manufacturing6.10.2026 08:00:00 CEST | Press release
RoslinCT, a leading global cell therapy Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), today announced it has been awarded a Research & Development grant from Scottish Enterprise to accelerate the digital transformation of its manufacturing operations in Scotland. The funding, supported by a Scottish Enterprise R&D grant of up to £7.25 million, forms part of RoslinCT's ambitious digital expansion plan, a multi-year initiative designed to enhance the company's integrated digital and AI capabilities and further strengthen Scotland's position as a global hub for advanced cell and gene therapy manufacturing. The programme will enable the development of a digitally integrated manufacturing environment, improving operational efficiency, data connectivity and manufacturing excellence across RoslinCT's operations. By creating a more connected and data-driven manufacturing environment, RoslinCT will be better positioned to support clients throughout the product lifecycle, helping b
30 Years of Restylane®: Reshaping the Aesthetics Field Through Science-Led, Patient-Centric Innovation6.10.2026 07:00:00 CEST | Press release
Galderma celebrates the 30th anniversary of Restylane, its pioneering range of hyaluronic acid (HA) injectables that established the category as the first to market1 With three decades of innovation across technology, packaging, and treatment areas, Restylane continues to meet growing aesthetic needs, including emerging areas such as medication-driven weight loss, skin quality and menopause1-11 This year’s milestones include the approvals of Restylane Shaype™ in the European Union (EU) for enhancement of the chin region, the new state-of-the-art Restylane syringe in the EU, United States (U.S.), and Canada, and Restylane Volyme™* in the U.S. for temple hollowing, with a dual-layer patent-pending technique leveraging both needle and cannula12-18 With more than 80 clinical trials, 180 publications, around 407,000 patients evaluated for safety, and 77 million treatments administered worldwide, Restylane remains a pioneer in science-backed aesthetic innovation and continues to shape the fu
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom