The World App just made a major update that could fundamentally change the way users talk, pay, and prove they’re online.
summary
- The update adds encrypted chat, in-chat encrypted transfer, and mini apps.
- Virtual accounts expand to new regions with fee-free USDC conversion.
- Earn rewards, merchant payments, and World ID tools to expand real-world usage.
World has rolled out its biggest update yet, turning the World App into a complete social, payments, identity, and authenticated human mini-app hub.
The upgrade, announced on December 11, is one of the world’s most aggressive steps toward consumer-centric services.
Chat and payments in one
The new World Chat feature is at the heart of the experience. It works like a regular messenger, but all conversations are tied to a human identity verified through World ID. Messages from authenticated users appear as blue bubbles, and profile pictures are matched against orb images stored on the user’s device.
This gives users a way to speak and submit media in a space that excludes impersonator and synthetic accounts. Payments now work within the chat window. Users can send or request cryptocurrencies as easily as sending a text, instantly send money across borders, and even wrap money transfers in small animations for gifts.
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You can split payments in group chats, but mini apps load directly within the message thread. This allows people to run polls, prediction markets, simple games, savings tools, and more without leaving the chat. Everything is end-to-end encrypted and the app keeps no records of who sent messages to whom and when.
Global wallet with new ways to earn money
The update also expanded how people can move and store money within the app. Virtual accounts powered by Bridge now reach 18 countries, including the United States, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and several markets in Latin America.
Each user receives a personal account number from which they can receive paychecks and bank transfers, which are converted to USDC for use in the app. On the World side, exchange remains fee-free, allowing people to switch between stablecoins and wrapped local currencies such as wMXN and wARS.
The new Earn product provides authenticated humans with access to high-yield rewards on the first portion of their USDC or WLD balances. Current interest rates are above the typical levels found in banks and simple crypto accounts, and World says the human proof limit will help prevent multiple account operations.
Currently, over 100 tokens are supported in addition to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and tokenized gold assets. This app is also making its way into the real world.
Users in Argentina can now pay at more than 1 million merchants via QR code, and the World Card, which supports Apple Pay, is expected early next year. Meanwhile, World ID is adding tools for age checks, verified human badges, and Tinder integration starting in Japan.
The development follows rapid growth across the network despite regulatory scrutiny. Users use apps every few seconds, and Orb’s authentication continues to grow as World leans into the idea of a global human base for identity, payments, and online activity.
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