Kenya’s Interior Secretary has announced that the country will not lift its suspension on the cryptocurrency project, Worldcoin, despite pressure from the US government. The suspension was imposed in August 2023 and will remain in effect until the government receives assurances regarding the safety and integrity of financial transactions. The Kenyan government is particularly concerned about Worldcoin’s collection of personal identification information, such as iris scans, in exchange for a digital ID. Following the suspension, a parliamentary committee was formed to investigate the controversial crypto project. Worldcoin gained popularity in Kenya, with many registering for the program and receiving 25 Worldcoin tokens. In addition to the parliamentary committee, a court has also ordered the preservation of data collected by Worldcoin until a lawsuit filed by the data commissioner’s office is completed. The Worldcoin project was officially launched on July 24, 2023, and aims to differentiate humans from AI by creating a digital ID system based on proof-of-personhood.
Kenya stands firm against US pressure, upholds suspension of Worldcoin