Sam Altman’s World Network Eyes Visa Partnership for Crypto-Powered Payments

Sam Altman's World Network is reportedly engaging in discussions with Visa to integrate stablecoin-based payment capabilities into its digital wallet.  If finalized, the initiative could turn the World Wallet into a multifunctional financial tool, giving users access to a range of banking features without relying on traditional institutions. World Network, a blockchain ecosystem designed to bolster the biometric identity platform Worldcoin, is exploring ways to incorporate Visa card functionality into its system, according to anonymous sources. The goal is to allow users to make stablecoin payments at thousands of merchants that accept Visa worldwide. This development syncs with broader efforts to bridge the gap between crypto and TradFi services, presenting fiat on-ramps and foreign exchange capabilities. Talks with Payment Providers Notably, to advance this initiative, Tools for Humanity, the organization overseeing Worldcoin and World Network, has reached out to card issuers, seeking potential product collaborations. This suggests that the company is actively pursuing partnerships to expand its reach in the financial sector. Additionally, World Network has engaged with crypto card facilitators, including Rain, a firm with backing from USDC issuer Circle and America's largest exchange Coinbase. Rain has previously introduced on-chain Visa cards for blockchain networks such as Optimism and Avalanche.  Sources familiar with the discussions indicate that the company sees the World Wallet as more than just a crypto storage solution.  Instead, it could function as an all-in-one financial hub, allowing users to engage in foreign currency exchanges, transfer digital assets, and spend funds directly via an integrated card.  Given Altman's influence and the substantial resources backing the project, industry experts speculate that this initiative could pose a competitive challenge to existing crypto wallet providers. Recent Innovations in World Network's Ecosystem Besides its work on payments, World Network has been actively expanding its services to improve user experience and security. Earlier this month, the company launched World Chat, a messaging feature embedded within the World App.  Notably, the addition allows users verified through biometric authentication to communicate securely. The feature looks to bolster real-world interactions by ensuring that users engage with real individuals rather than AI-generated bots or anonymous accounts. Furthermore, World Network recently collaborated with gaming hardware giant Razer to address the persistent issue of bot interference in online gaming. Through this partnership, the companies introduced Razer ID verified by World ID, a single sign-on feature that confirms whether a user is human.