Nairobi, May 6, 2025 — In a landmark decision, the High Court of Kenya has ruled that the operations of Worldcoin, a controversial cryptocurrency project backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, are illegal in the country. The court found that Worldcoin’s collection of biometric data from Kenyan citizens violated constitutional privacy rights.
Worldcoin, which uses eye-scanning “orbs” to collect users’ iris data in exchange for cryptocurrency tokens, had been operating in Kenya under scrutiny since 2023. Concerns were raised about the transparency of its data handling and the lack of informed consent from users — many of whom were drawn in by monetary incentives.
In its ruling, the court ordered an immediate halt to all Worldcoin activities in Kenya and mandated the deletion of all personal data already collected. The judgment stated that the company had failed to comply with Kenya’s Data Protection Act, and that the potential for misuse of sensitive biometric information posed a serious risk to national security and individual privacy.
Amnesty International Kenya praised the decision, calling it a critical step toward ensuring that multinational tech firms cannot exploit vulnerable populations under the guise of innovation.
“This ruling affirms that Kenyans’ rights cannot be traded for digital tokens,” said Irũngũ Houghton, Executive Director of Amnesty International Kenya. “The government and judiciary must remain vigilant in protecting the rights of citizens in the face of rapid technological change.”
The decision is likely to have far-reaching implications for other digital identity and data-driven projects in Kenya and across Africa, where regulatory frameworks are still evolving to keep pace with technological advancements.
As of now, Worldcoin has not issued an official response to the ruling.
