Worldcoin surges 20% as OpenAI IPO lifts Sam Altman-linked tokens

Worldcoin (WLD) rose more than 20% over three trading sessions after OpenAI confirmed it confidentially filed for a US initial public offering, with traders betting the Sam Altman connection will draw fresh attention to the iris-scanning crypto project.

"OpenAI's IPO is a massive validation event for everything Sam Altman touches, and Worldcoin is the only liquid token with his name attached," Arthur Hayes, chief investment officer at Maelstrom and co-founder of BitMEX, said in a social media post. "The market is starting to price that in."

OpenAI on Monday submitted a confidential S-1 filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, targeting a valuation of up to $1 trillion, Reuters reported. The ChatGPT-maker said it generates $2 billion in monthly revenue, roughly four times the growth rate of Alphabet and Meta at comparable stages of their histories. A debut could come as early as September, though the company said it has not yet set a timeline.

The rally in WLD underscores the deepening ties between the AI and crypto sectors, with Altman serving as a bridge between the two. Worldcoin, which uses iris scans to create unique digital identities, has positioned itself as a proof-of-humanity tool for an AI-dominated internet — a narrative that gains credibility as the company behind ChatGPT moves toward public markets. The token's market capitalization has added roughly $500 million during the three-day run, according to CoinGecko data.

OpenAI's IPO sets the stage for a blockbuster year

OpenAI joins rival Anthropic and Elon Musk's SpaceX in a wave of high-profile IPOs that could reshape public equity markets. Anthropic, which develops the Claude AI model, filed for its own IPO last week at a $965 billion valuation after raising $65 billion in a funding round. SpaceX filed for a $75 billion offering at a $1.75 trillion valuation, which would rank as the largest IPO in history if completed.

The trio of trillion-dollar-plus debuts is seen as the most consequential test of investor appetite for high-growth technology stocks in years. For Worldcoin, the OpenAI IPO removes a key overhang: a US jury in May ruled against Musk in his lawsuit against OpenAI, clearing a legal hurdle that had weighed on sentiment around Altman-linked projects.

WLD faces token unlock overhang

Despite the rally, Worldcoin faces a scheduled token unlock in the coming months that could test the sustainability of gains. The project's tokenomics include a multi-year vesting schedule for early investors and team members, with large unlocks historically creating selling pressure. The exact amount and date of the next unlock have not yet been disclosed.

WLD's 20% gain over three days outpaces the broader crypto market, with Bitcoin trading flat near $97,000 over the same period, according to CoinGecko. The token's relative strength suggests the OpenAI narrative is driving demand specific to Altman-linked assets rather than a broad altcoin rally.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.