ODPC confirms deletion of Kenyans’ Worldcoin biometric data
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. Kenya breaking news | Kenya news today |..
✨ Key Highlights
The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) has confirmed the complete deletion of all biometric data collected from Kenyan citizens by Worldcoin's parent company, Tools for Humanity.
- The deletion was confirmed in a public notice dated January 20, 2026, following a compliance audit.
- The regulator stated that Worldcoin fully complied with government directives to delete iris scan data, which led to the suspension of Worldcoin's operations in 2023.
- This action sets a precedent for multinational digital firms in Kenya, reinforcing Section 25 of the Data Protection Act, 2019.
- Future data processing by Worldcoin, if operations resume, will be subject to strict legal compliance.
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Kenya Proposes VAT Cut and Safaricom Stake Sale; ODPC Confirms Worldcoin Data Deletion - January 2026
The Kenyan government's Finance Bill 2026 proposes an 8 percent reduction in input VAT for agricultural exporters, cutting the rate from the current 16 percent to alleviate costs. Separately, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) projects a significant increase in the country's foreign exchange reserves to KSh 1.84 trillion. This boost is driven by the proposed partial sale of the government's stake in Safaricom PLC to Vodacom, which aims to increase import cover to 6.2 months. In a regulatory action, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) confirmed the complete deletion of all biometric data collected from Kenyan citizens by Worldcoin's parent company, Tools for Humanity.
