Arthur Hayes' investment firm Maelstrom predicted on X that Worldcoin's WLD token could reach $5 by August, roughly 900% above its current price of $0.50. Maelstrom researcher Lukas Ruppert called WLD the most underpriced crypto proxy for the approaching wave of artificial intelligence IPOs. The prediction arrives as OpenAI filed its IPO prospectus with the SEC on May 22 targeting a September 2026 debut with a potential valuation of up to $1 trillion, and Anthropic filed its own draft prospectus after announcing on May 28 that a $65 billion funding round valued it at $965 billion. WLD is the native token of Sam Altman's digital identity and financial network Worldcoin, currently trading at roughly a $2 billion unlocked market capitalisation.
OpenAI and Anthropic File IPO Prospectuses
OpenAI filed its IPO prospectus with the SEC on May 22, targeting a September 2026 debut with a potential valuation of up to $1 trillion. Anthropic followed by filing its own draft prospectus after announcing on May 28 that a fresh $65 billion funding round valued it at $965 billion. U.S. equity markets have reached record highs this week, driven partly by AI and memory-storage stocks.
Worldcoin Token Sale Creates Short Overhang
Ruppert described WLD's depressed price as partly mechanical. Worldcoin raised $65 million in an over-the-counter token sale in March, with $25 million locked for six months. Buyers hedged by shorting WLD on perpetual futures markets, creating what Ruppert called a "textbook short overhang."
Ruppert identified two factors that could affect this pressure. Eightco, a publicly traded firm that has accumulated 283 million WLD tokens, holds roughly $144 million in cash that could fund further purchases. Separately, Worldcoin's daily token unlock schedule is set to drop by 43% on July 24.
WLD Surges 60% Over Past Week
The token surged roughly 60% over the past week, making it the best-performing asset in the top 100 tokens by market capitalisation. "WLD doesn't move often, but when it does, it moves aggressively," Ruppert noted. "Capital is aggressively chasing Anthropic and OpenAI exposure," he added, describing WLD's current valuation as an "asymmetric upside" opportunity relative to the scale of the incoming AI listings.
FAQ
What price target did Maelstrom set for WLD token?
Maelstrom predicted Worldcoin's WLD token could reach $5 by August, roughly 900% above its current price of $0.50, according to researcher Lukas Ruppert's post on X.
When did OpenAI and Anthropic file their IPO prospectuses?
OpenAI filed its IPO prospectus with the SEC on May 22 targeting a September 2026 debut. Anthropic filed its draft prospectus after announcing on May 28 that a $65 billion funding round valued it at $965 billion.
What is Worldcoin's daily unlock schedule change on July 24?
Worldcoin's daily token unlock schedule is set to drop by 43% on July 24, according to Maelstrom researcher Lukas Ruppert.
