Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs paused the operating permit for World, formerly Worldcoin, co‑founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The move follows reports of suspicious activity around Worldcoin and its World ID service.
The ministry will summon local operators PT. Terang Bulan Abadi and PT. Sandina Abadi Nusantara to explain possible breaches of electronic system rules.
Missing Registration Raises Red Flags
Alexander Sabar, Director General of Digital Space Supervision, told reporters in Central Jakarta that the freeze is a preventive step. He noted that PT. Terang Bulan Abadi lacks the required Electronic System Organiser registration.
Meanwhile, Worldcoin’s services run under the TDPSE licence of a different company, PT. Sandina Abadi Nusantara. Both oversights breach Government Regulation 71 of 2019 and Ministerial Regulation 10 of 2021, which demand that every digital platform register legally and manage its operations.
A Warning to All Providers
Sabar stressed that using another entity’s identity or skipping registration is a serious violation. He said the ministry plans clear and consistent oversight to keep the national digital space safe.
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He also urged the public to stay alert and report any unapproved digital services through the official complaint channel. This call underlines the active role citizens play in securing Indonesia’s online environment.
Global Pushback Grows
Indonesia’s action follows a similar move by Brazil’s data watchdog. The National Data Protection Authority there ordered Tools for Humanity, the firm behind World ID, to halt activities within its borders.
This trend shows regulators worldwide are watching digital‑ID projects carefully, especially those involving biometric data and token rewards.
Worldcoin’s U.S. Expansion Continues
Despite these setbacks, Worldcoin pressed ahead with its U.S. rollout. The project announced plans to launch in six American cities namely Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville and San Francisco.
There, participants can earn WLD tokens by verifying their identity and creating a World ID. This illustrates Worldcoin’s drive to grow its user base even amid regulatory hurdles.
Worldcoin’s Price Actions
Meanwhile, the native currency $WLD is trading $0.9624 at the time of writing and is up by 2.10% in the last 24 hours. The global market cap is at $1.27 billion. The 24 hour trading volume is 17.55%.
The Indonesian suspension marks a key test for the World’s global ambitions. The company must now clarify its local setup and secure the proper licences to resume operations. Regulators will watch closely to ensure compliance.
As Worldcoin pursues new markets, it faces growing demands for transparency and legal certainty. How Worldcoin and similar platforms respond will shape the future of blockchain services not only in Indonesia but across emerging markets worldwide.
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