World, a digital identity project led by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, which was previously named Worldcoin, is facing regulatory obstacles in Indonesia. The Indonesian Ministry of Communications and Digital (Komdigi) has temporarily suspended the Electronic System Operator Certificate Registration (TDPSE) for World and World ID due to suspicious activities and purported registration infractions, as announced on May 4.
Post-suspension, Komdigi intends to call upon World’s local subsidiaries, PT Terang Bulan Abadi and PT Sandina Abadi Nusantara, for an explanation regarding the alleged infringements. Initial investigations suggest that World’s PT Terang Bulan Abadi was potentially functioning without the necessary TDPSE, while PT Sandina Abadi Nusantara, which World utilized for its services, is suspected of legal misrepresentation.
Komdigi stressed in their statement that all digital service providers in Indonesia are obliged to register electronically as per local regulations. Furthermore, using another entity’s registration is seen as a serious violation of the Indonesian digital operations law.
“Worldcoin services are recorded using TDPSE in the name of another legal entity, namely PT Sandina Abadi Nusantara,” stated Alexander Sabar, Komdigi’s director general for digital supervision. He stressed that, “Non-compliance with registration obligations and the use of the identity of another legal entity to execute digital services is a grave violation.”
The temporary suspension of World’s operations in Indonesia is a precautionary step to avert potential risks to the community, according to Sabar. He affirmed that the digital ministry is devoted to strictly and fairly regulating the digital ecosystem to ensure the security of the national digital space.
Sabar called for public participation in maintaining a safe digital environment, and urged citizens to stay cautious of unauthorized digital services and report any suspected infractions through the official public complaint channel. The public, however, seems split over Komdigi’s actions.
The latest news from Indonesia comes in the wake of World’s launch in the United States in May 2025, rolling out its digital identity technology in six initial cities. However, since its inception in July 2023, World’s operations have been facing resistance from regulators worldwide, with governments such as Germany, Kenya, and Brazil raising concerns about potential security risks related to the biometric data shared by users.
