Worldcoin WLD up 60% as AI hype and emission cut boost

The price of Worldcoin's WLD token surged dramatically this week, rising approximately 60% as investor interest pivoted toward assets linked to the artificial intelligence sector. The rally coincided with a bullish analysis from investment firm Maelstrom, which suggested the token could reach as high as $5 in the coming months.

Maelstrom, led by prominent crypto investor Arthur Hayes, framed WLD as a direct, liquid proxy for the upcoming wave of major AI company initial public offerings. Researcher Lukas Ruppert stated that the market has overlooked this connection as capital aggressively chases exposure to leading AI firms. He pointed to recent confidential IPO filings by OpenAI, targeting a September 2026 debut with a potential $1 trillion valuation, and a $65 billion funding round for competitor Anthropic that valued it at $965 billion.

Against this backdrop, WLD's market capitalization of roughly $2 billion represents a significantly smaller exposure point, which Maelstrom characterized as an asymmetric opportunity. The firm's thesis hinges on two specific catalysts. First, it highlighted the holdings of a publicly traded company, Eightco ORBS, which reportedly holds about...