OpenAI founder Sam Altman’s World Foundation has recently completed over-the-counter (OTC) trades with four counterparties in the past week, with a total sale price of $65 million. The first transaction was settled on March 20, 2026, leading to a sharp drop in the token price to a historical low, attracting market attention.
239 million WLD tokens changed hands at an average price of $0.27.
World Foundation’s token issuance department, World Assets, has completed token sales to four counterparties in the past week, with the first batch settled on March 20, 2026. This transaction was conducted at an average price of approximately $0.27 per token, totaling about 239 million WLD tokens exchanged. According to the foundation, the proceeds from the sale will be used for core project operations, research and development, the manufacturing of hardware devices called Orb, and ecosystem construction. Structurally, tokens valued at $25 million have a six-month lock-up period, while the remaining portion will be immediately available for market circulation. Such large OTC trades typically reflect the project’s cash flow needs, but the increased market supply in the short term usually exerts direct pressure on secondary market prices.
WLD token fell over 97%.
Affected by financing news and increased supply, the WLD price briefly dipped to a historic low of $0.24, then slightly rebounded. As of the time of writing, the WLD trading price is about $0.2725, down over 97% compared to the peak of $11.82 reached in March 2024. Notably, the issuance price shows a significant discount compared to past financing valuations. In May 2023, the project received $135 million in investment from institutions like Andreessen Horowitz and Bain Capital Crypto, with the token price at that time approximating $1.13. The current discounted sale not only indicates an adjustment in market valuation but also reflects that, in a tightening liquidity environment, the project parties must accept more competitive pricing conditions to maintain operations.
Future token unlocks will create supply pressure.
According to data from the on-chain data platform DefiLlama, World is expected to face more severe supply pressures. The community tokens are set for a large-scale unlock on July 23, 2026, at which time approximately 52.5% of the token supply will be released. Given the total supply of 10 billion tokens, such a high percentage of unlock could further dilute the interests of existing holders.
Although World Foundation claims its token distribution occurs only in jurisdictions where legally permitted, with strict age and geographical restrictions, secondary market investors remain highly vigilant about the potential chain reactions that may arise from bulk supply releases, especially in the context of market demand not yet showing significant growth; excess supply will be a key variable affecting long-term token prices.
In addition to financial pressures, World faces challenges regarding legal compliance across the globe. Thai authorities recently raided iris scanning sites related to the project, with the Thai Securities and Exchange Commission and Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau indicating that the service is suspected of operating without permission, violating digital asset-related laws. Such incidents are not isolated; since its launch in 2023, the project has faced investigations in countries like Indonesia, Germany, Kenya, and Brazil, with controversies primarily focused on the handling and cross-border transmission of sensitive biometric data.
This article “World Foundation’s Sale of $65 Million WLD Tokens Triggers Price Crash” originally appeared in Chain News ABMedia.
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