@worldnetwork's $WLD token has been one of the standout performers of the past month, rising more than 88% over 30 days and gaining roughly 9% in a single 24-hour window, according to CoinGec
@worldnetwork's $WLD token has been one of the standout performers of the past month, rising more than 88% over 30 days and gaining roughly 9% in a single 24-hour window, according to CoinGecko data cited at the time of writing. The move pushed Worldcoin to the top of CoinMarketCap's Most Bullish Sentiment list and put the token firmly in focus for traders tracking the broader AI investment theme.
The primary catalyst behind the surge was OpenAI filing its IPO papers, a move that analysts said could see the company go public as soon as August. OpenAI and Worldcoin are separate companies but share a common thread in Sam Altman, who co-founded Worldcoin and is now OpenAI's CEO, raising speculation he could eventually integrate World ID into OpenAI's platform.
The token climbed more than 30% in one 24-hour period alone after crypto investor Arthur Hayes highlighted the project as a potential top performer, referencing Maelstrom research that outlined a bullish price target and linked Worldcoin's prospects to growing investor interest in artificial intelligence. Platform data showed that retail traders following the token increased by over 300% in the last seven days, while retail chatter jumped more than 150%.
A second catalyst was a scheduled tokenomics change. Worldcoin developers announced the WLD unlock rate will drop by 43% in July, with community token unlocks falling from 3.2 million WLD per day to 1.6 million WLD per day. Traders viewed the reduced supply as a structural tailwind.
Arthur Hayes, co-founder of Maelstrom and former BitMEX CEO, sold his entire Worldcoin position just days after his firm described the token as one of the most attractive ways to gain exposure to the AI investment narrative. The sale came as Worldcoin's recent rally lost momentum, with Hayes pointing to weakness in the SpaceX pre-IPO perpetual futures market as a key factor behind his decision to exit.
The move triggered accusations from on-chain investigator ZachXBT, who alleged Hayes used his followers as "exit liquidity," a pattern he also observed with Hayes's recent exits from NEAR, HYPE, and ZEC. Hayes defended his actions as transparent market selling.
Despite the short-term volatility, the broader AI narrative around Worldcoin remains intact for many market participants. The project is active in over 100 countries, reaching roughly 25 million users, including about 12 million verified through Orb technology. Whether the token can hold its gains without high-profile backing will be the key question heading into the July tokenomics update.
SourcesBanklessTimes: Top 2 Reasons Why the Worldcoin Price is Rising During the Crypto CrashCoinLaw: Arthur Hayes Sells Worldcoin After Backing $5 WLD TargetCoinPedia: Arthur Hayes Backs Worldcoin as WLD Surges 30% on AI Narrative
