NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 22 – The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) has confirmed the complete removal of biometric data collected from Kenyan citizens by Worldcoin’s parent company, Tools for Humanity.
In a public notice dated January 20, 2026, the regulator said the cryptocurrency project had fully complied with government directives to delete iris scan data, which led to the suspension of Worldcoin’s operations in 2023.
The confirmation follows a comprehensive compliance audit conducted by the ODPC to verify adherence to the Data Protection Act, 2019.
“Regarding the processing of Kenyans’ personal data by Tools for Humanity, we confirm that the data controller has deleted all biometric data previously collected from Kenyan citizens,” the commission said.
Worldcoin’s data collection had attracted scrutiny after thousands of Kenyans exchanged biometric information for digital tokens, triggering government intervention and a multi-agency probe.
The ODPC said the deletion sets an important precedent for multinational digital firms operating in Kenya, reinforcing the application of Section 25 of the Data Protection Act on personal data privacy.
While Worldcoin has expressed interest in resuming operations under a revised framework, the regulator emphasized that any future data processing will be subject to strict legal compliance. The development comes as the government prepares to roll out tighter rules on cross-border data handling, expected to be discussed at the Data Privacy Conference 2026 in Mombasa.
