BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand’s data protection authority ordered an iris-scan cryptocurrency scheme shut down and demanded 1.2 million stored eye scans be permanently deleted.
Crypto-for-iris deal shut down
The company TIDC Worldverse had offered Thai residents a simple trade: an iris scan in exchange for the digital token Worldcoin. In return for handing over their biometric data, users received cryptocurrency credited to their accounts.
“Collecting biometric data in exchange for cryptocurrency does not comply with the law.”
said Police Colonel Suraphong Plengkham, of the PDPC.
According to the authority, the service was immediately suspended once the concerns were raised.
1.2 million biometric profiles at risk
In total, about 1.2 million people in Thailand agreed to have their eyes scanned under the program. Regulators said this meant a vast volume of biometric data was now potentially exposed.
The Personal Data Protection Committee ordered not only the halt of operations but also the complete deletion of all stored iris scans. Officials cited the danger of illegal transfers of this data abroad and said a nationwide data crisis had narrowly been averted.
Operator denies wrongdoing
Tools For Humanity Thailand, the company behind the suspended service, insisted it had complied with all local regulations. The operator said it considered the iris-based system a tool that users could deploy safely.
“The suspension affects millions of Thais who used the technology for protection against fraud.”
said a company spokeswoman.
Authorities have maintained a firm stance, and the Department of Special Investigation has launched its own probe into the case.
Users face potential billion-baht loss
An anonymous source estimated that each participant had received 52 Worldcoin tokens. Based on a value of 60 to 200 baht per coin, the total payout was put at around one billion baht, roughly 25 million euros.
“By deleting the data, they will lose this one billion baht.”
said the source, warning that participants now faced a financial disaster.
Legal lesson for Thailand’s data regime
Law professor Dhiraphol Suwanprateep said the case underscored the consequences of violating Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA).
“This should be a lesson about the consequences of PDPA violations.”
said Dhiraphol.
He noted that penalties in Thailand were still milder than in the European Union but argued that the message was clear: data protection was being taken increasingly seriously in the country, turning the hype around iris-scan crypto into a nightmare for many users.