OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s crypto-tied digital identity project, World, formerly known as Worldcoin, has launched “Priority Blockspace for Humans” (PBH) on its World Chain mainnet.

The new infrastructure is designed to prioritize transactions from verified human users, marking a shift away from traditional gas fee bidding mechanisms.

Priority Blockspace for Humans

According to a press release shared with CryptoPotato, PBH automatically activates during network congestion, reserving part of each block specifically for transactions from Orb-verified individuals.

This mechanism aims to guarantee faster and more reliable access to core services, such as proof-of-human verifications, Mini Apps, and grant claims, without requiring additional costs.

According to World, the initiative supports developers seeking to build for its network of 13 million verified humans. The launch is part of the project’s broader goal to create a global network of over one billion authenticated users.

Steven Smith, vice president, Engineering and Protocol, for Tools for Humanity, said that Priority Blockspace for Humans effectively makes World Chain “fairer and more efficient,” by granting real human transactions built-in priority during block production.

He went on to say that:

“We firmly believe that humans and AI can coexist harmoniously, and this development reflects our commitment to building user-friendly systems that benefit humanity while also making the most of bleeding-edge technology.”

PBH underwent testing in an incentivized testnet involving researchers and developers, including contributors from Flashbots and Alchemy. The system is open-source and has been integrated into the World Chain Block Builder and Rollup Boost, a modular component designed for OP Stack chains that supports custom transaction ordering. Both PBH and Rollup Boost have also been subject to independent audits conducted by blockchain infrastructure firm Nethermind.

Regulatory Hurdles

World officially launched in the United States in April, expanding to six major cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco. After previously avoiding a US rollout due to regulatory concerns about token distribution, World is now moving forward under what appears to be a more favorable regulatory climate.

Despite the US expansion, the project continues to face global scrutiny over its data collection practices. Authorities in several countries, including Spain and Portugal, have suspended the project over privacy concerns related to biometric data usage.

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