Latest news with #WorldID
Business Insider
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Why Is MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Stock (MRM) Up 75% Today?
MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies (MRM) stock rocketed higher on Friday after the Japanese holistic healthcare services company announced it would join the World platform, which utilizes the World ID system created by OpenAI founder Sam Altman. This will have the company install World ID Orb devices at roughly 100 of its salons. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. World ID is a proof-of-human concept created by World to verify that users are real human beings. World has been working to accelerate the use of World ID through collaborations similar to the one announced with MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies today. MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies stock was up 75.83% in pre-market trading on Friday, following a 5.51% drop yesterday. The shares have increased 16.5% year-to-date but fallen 59.32% over the past 12 months. Today's movement came with heavy trading, as some 20 million shares changed hands, compared to a three-month daily average of about 20,000 units. Is MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold? Turning to Wall Street, coverage of MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies is lacking. However, TipRanks' AI analyst Spark has the stock covered. It rates MRM a Neutral (54) with a $1.50 price target, representing a potential 25% upside for the shares. It cites 'strong revenue growth overshadowed by significant profitability and liquidity challenges' as reasons for this stance.
Business Insider
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Morning News Wrap-Up: Friday's Biggest Stock Market Stories!
It's time to dive into the biggest stock market stories and headlines from Friday! There's a lot of news to go over today, and TipRanks has all the details with its roundup below! Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Expedia (EXPE) stock jumped alongside strong Q2 results and an upgraded outlook. MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies (MRM) stock rocketed on plans to join the World ID network. BioVie (BIVI) stock plummeted after the company priced shares in a public offering. Oriental Rise (ORIS) stock surged in what might have been a meme rally. Tesla (TSLA) stock dipped this morning after it abandoned its Dojo supercomputer plans. D-Wave Quantum (QBTS) stock was down today after it reported mixed Q2 results. SoundHound AI (SOUN) stock took off after the company smashed Wall Street's Q2 estimates. Tempus AI (TEM) stock climbed higher after the company's earnings came in above analysts' estimates. Eli Lilly (LLY) stock continued to sink as investors were disappointed with its weight loss pill trial data. Take-Two (TTWO) shares slipped on Friday after the company's CEO discussed pricing for Grand Theft Auto VI. Natera (NTRA) stock gained alongside a strong Q2 earnings report. Disney (DIS) stock slipped after CEO Bob Iger said the company will make what 'resonates with consumers.' Wendy's (WEN) stock rallied despite the fast-food company cutting its 2025 guidance. Netflix (NFLX) stock increased after it secured rights to some of the FIFA Women's World Cup soccer games.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
MEDIROM Joins the World Network, Embracing Next-Generation Proof of Human Concept Led by ChatGPT Creator Sam Altman
Creating new social infrastructure in collaboration with HakuhodoTo promote the spread of World ID in Japan,Verification Device'Orb'will be installed in 100 relaxation Aug. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kouji Eguchi; NASDAQ: MRM; hereinafter referred to as 'MEDIROM') has collaborated with Hakuhodo Inc. to participate in 'World,' a 'proof of human' protocol built for the AI era, co-founded and chaired by Sam Altman (founder of OpenAI). Through this collaboration, Tools for Humanity (Headquarters: San Francisco, USA; Co-founder and CEO: Alex Blania; Co-founder and Chairman: Sam Altman; hereinafter referred to as 'TFH') aims to accelerate the adoption of 'World ID,' a system that verifies an individual's authenticity as a 'real human being,' within the 'World' protocol it is promoting. Going forward, MEDIROM will progressively install the 'Orb' World ID authentication device in approximately 100 of its ' relaxation salons, aiming to achieve cumulative deployment in over 100 stores by the end of December 2025 and issue 500,000 new World IDs annually. ◼︎About WorldWorld is a proof of human protocol built for the AI era. It enables individuals to verify their humanness online—without compromising privacy. The project was co-founded by Sam Altman, Alex Blania, and Max Novendstern. World is a global initiative to build tools that help humanity prepare for the age of AI. Co-invented by Sam Altman, Alex Blania, and Max Novendstern, World aims to increase trust online by using World ID to distinguish between humans and AI. Its mission is to build a new global economic system where only real humans can access currency and services. Tools for Humanity, co-founded by Altman and Blania, leads the implementation and global deployment of this project. ◼︎About World ID World ID is a global personal authentication technology that proves 'humanness.' In recent years, with the rapid evolution of generative AI, we are entering a society where it is difficult to distinguish between humans and AI. Against this backdrop, World ID aims to provide 'digital proof of human'. The 'Orb,' an advanced camera, is used to verify humanness of individuals without identifying them. Once verification is complete, a verified World ID is issued and stored in 'World App,' enabling its use across various compatible services.◼︎Roles of each company MEDIROMInstallation and operation of Orb in stores (over 100 stores expected) HakuhodoPlanning and operational support as a flagship partner in the domestic expansion of the World project Tools for Humanity (TFH)Provision of World technology, platform operation, and security supervision *All data is managed with a focus on privacy, and users retain control. ◼︎About Group operates more than 300 relaxation salons nationwide, centered around its ' brand relaxation salons. In addition to ' relaxation salons, which are located in commercial facilities and street-front stores, the group also operates five other brands: 'Spa which are located in hot spring facilities; ' PRO,' which operates a multi-purpose running station; 'Bell Epoc,' which offers a wide range of services such as reflexology and aromatherapy body care, mainly in rural areas; and 'Ruam Ruam,' which offers luxury relaxation salons using Asian massage techniques. ◼︎About Tools for Humanity Founded in 2019, Tools for Humanity (TFH) is a global technology company accelerating the transition to a more inclusive, human-first digital economy. TFH led the initial development of the World Network and operates the World App. The company is headquartered in San Francisco and Berlin. ◼︎About MEDIROM GroupMEDIROM Group operates over 300 relaxation salons under the " brand nationwide. Since 2015, we have expanded into HealthTech, offering on-demand training apps like Lav® for specific health guidance and lifestyle improvement programs. In 2020, we started manufacturing the battery-free smart tracker "MOTHER Bracelet®," which is now used in REMONY, our remote monitoring system for various industries including caregiving, transportation, construction, and manufacturing. About MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Symbol: MRMTradepia Odaiba, 2-3-1 Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo, JapanWeb *The plans, forecasts, and figures included in this release are as of July 30, 2025, and may be subject to change without notice.*World, WorldID, Worldcoin, and Orb are trademarks or registered trademarks of Tools for Humanity Corporation.*MOTHER Bracelet is a registered trademark of MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc. in Japan. ContactMedirom Healthcare Technologies Inc. — Email: press@ Forward-Looking Statements Regarding MEDIROM Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may include estimates or expectations about MEDIROM's possible or assumed operational results, financial condition, business strategies and plans, market opportunities, competitive position, industry environment, and potential growth opportunities. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as 'may,' 'will,' 'should,' 'design,' 'target,' 'aim,' 'hope,' 'expect,' 'could,' 'intend,' 'plan,' 'anticipate,' 'estimate,' 'believe,' 'continue,' 'predict,' 'project,' 'potential,' 'goal,' or other words that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. These statements relate to future events or to MEDIROM's future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause MEDIROM's actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond MEDIROM's control and which could, and likely will, affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects MEDIROM's current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to MEDIROM's operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. Some of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release include: MEDIROM's ability to achieve its development goals for its business and execute and evolve its growth strategies, priorities and initiatives; changes in Japanese and global economic conditions and financial markets, including their effects on MEDIROM's expansion in Japan and certain overseas markets; MEDIROM's ability to achieve and sustain profitability in its Digital Preventative Healthcare Segment; the fluctuation of foreign exchange rates, which affects MEDIROM's expenses and liabilities payable in foreign currencies; MEDIROM's ability to maintain and enhance the value of its brands and to enforce and maintain its trademarks and protect its other intellectual property; MEDIROM's ability to raise additional capital on acceptable terms or at all; MEDIROM's level of indebtedness and potential restrictions on MEDIROM under MEDIROM's debt instruments; changes in consumer preferences and MEDIROM's competitive environment; MEDIROM's ability to respond to natural disasters, such as earthquakes and tsunamis, and to global pandemics, such as COVID-19; and the regulatory environment in which MEDIROM operates. More information on these risks and other potential factors that could affect MEDIROM's business, reputation, results of operations, financial condition, and stock price is included in MEDIROM's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 'SEC'), including in the 'Risk Factors' and 'Operating and Financial Review and Prospects' sections of MEDIROM's most recently filed periodic report on Form 20-F and subsequent filings, which are available on the SEC website at MEDIROM assumes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ethereum's Founder Just Called Out Sam Altman's World ID As A 'Privacy Killer'—Here's Why This Crypto Feud Could Change Everything
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Ethereum cofounder Vitalik Buterin just dropped a bombshell warning about Sam Altman's World ID system. His message is simple but chilling: these new digital identity platforms could destroy online anonymity as we know it. The timing couldn't be more critical. Millions are already scanning their eyeballs for World ID verification, thinking they're getting the best of both worlds—stopping bots while keeping their data private. But Buterin sees a massive trap hidden in the fine print. Don't Miss: — no wallets, just price speculation and free paper trading to practice different strategies. Grow your IRA or 401(k) with Crypto – . Here's the issue: World ID gives each person exactly one digital identity. Sounds fair, right? Wrong. According to Buterin, this 'one-person-one-identity' rule breaks everything that makes the internet work for regular people. Think about how you actually use the internet. You probably have different personas for different platforms—maybe a professional LinkedIn, a casual Instagram, and anonymous accounts for sensitive topics. That's not being deceptive; that's being human. But World ID's system makes this impossible. Since you can only have one identity, you effectively get one account per app. No more separation between your work life and personal interests. No more anonymous political discussions or private support group participation. 'We're moving towards a world where all of your online activity must be tied to a single public identity,' Buterin warns. This isn't some distant dystopian future—it's happening now as these systems gain adoption. The scariest part? Even World ID's privacy technology can't save you from real-world threats. If your boss, government, or anyone with power forces you to reveal your digital identity, your entire online life becomes visible instantly. Every app, every comment, every like—all connected to you personally. Trending: New to crypto? on Coinbase. Modern AI can already connect your accounts by analyzing your writing style, posting times, and interests. In a one-identity world, one mistake could expose everything. There's no backup plan, no other anonymous accounts to fall back on. Buterin puts it bluntly: 'Pseudonymity is fragile and requires a large safety buffer.' World ID removes that safety buffer entirely. Here's the kicker: even if you don't use World ID personally, you're still at risk. If any single identity system gets too popular—say, 90% market share—it becomes the internet's default login method. Suddenly, you can't access most websites without surrendering your anonymity. This is what Buterin calls the 'winner-takes-all' problem. The benefits of having multiple identity options disappear if everyone starts requiring the same system. Lost Privacy: Your professional life, personal interests, and political views all become linked to one traceable identity. Increased Risk: One data breach or forced disclosure exposes your entire digital footprint. Fewer Safe Spaces: Anonymous communities for whistleblowers, marginalized groups, or sensitive topics could crypto investors, this debate matters. Ethereum's focus on privacy-preserving tech could become huge if concerns about identity systems grow. Projects building truly anonymous alternatives might see massive demand. Meanwhile, if one-identity systems take over, we could see new networks emerge that preserve internet anonymity—creating fresh investment opportunities. Buterin isn't anti-technology or anti-verification. He's warning us about building systems that accidentally destroy something precious: the ability to be anonymous online when you need to be. The choice we make now will define the internet for decades. As World ID spreads, the window for preserving anonymous options is closing fast. The question isn't whether we need identity verification—it's whether we're willing to sacrifice online freedom to get it. The internet as we know it might not survive this transition. According to one of crypto's smartest minds, we should be very worried about that. Read Next: Named a TIME Best Invention and Backed by 5,000+ Users, Kara's Air-to-Water Pod Cuts Plastic and Costs — Image: Shutterstock This article Ethereum's Founder Just Called Out Sam Altman's World ID As A 'Privacy Killer'—Here's Why This Crypto Feud Could Change Everything originally appeared on
Crypto Insight
29-06-2025
- Business
- Crypto Insight
Vitalik introduces ‘pluralistic' IDs to protect privacy in digital identity systems
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has introduced a new kind of digital identity system dubbed 'pluralistic identity,' arguing it could protect privacy while enabling fair participation in digital life. In a blog post published Sunday, Buterin explored the promise and pitfalls of zero-knowledge (ZK) proof-wrapped IDs, warning that even privacy-preserving systems can carry serious risks if they rigidly enforce one identity per person. The Ethereum mastermind noted that many new digital ID projects use zero-knowledge proofs to let users prove they have a valid ID without revealing personal details. Examples include World ID, which has surpassed 10 million users, Taiwan's digital ID project, and European Union initiatives increasingly adopting ZK technology. 'ZK-wrapping solves a lot of important problems,' he wrote, but warned that 'ZK-wrapped ID still has risks,' especially because enforcing one ID per person can undermine pseudonymity and expose users to coercion. Single digital IDs could kill pseudonymity One key risk Buterin identified is that platforms could force users into a single, trackable identity, eliminating the ability to maintain separate pseudonymous profiles. 'In the real world, pseudonymity generally requires having multiple accounts,' he said. Without this flexibility, he argued, users could find themselves in a world where 'all of your activity must de-facto be under a single public identity,' heightening dangers from government or employer surveillance. Buterin also rejected the idea of using 'proof of wealth' alone as an anti-Sybil measure, saying it excludes people unable to pay and concentrates power among the wealthy. 'The theoretical ideal is something in the middle, where you can get N identities at a cost of N²,' he said. Buterin proposes pluralistic IDs To achieve a flexible approach, Buterin proposed pluralistic identity systems, where no single authority controls identity issuance, as the 'best realistic solution.' He explained these could be explicit, using social-graph-based verification like Circles, or implicit, relying on multiple ID providers — government documents, social platforms, and others — so no one ID gains near-total market share. 'Any form of pluralistic identity… is naturally more error-tolerant,' he noted, pointing out that this flexibility helps stateless individuals or those unable to access traditional IDs. Ultimately, Buterin argued the best outcome would merge one-per-person identity schemes with social-graph systems to bootstrap diverse, global identity networks. 'If their market share gets too close to 100%, they shift the world… to a one-per-person model, which has worse properties,' he warned, stressing that only pluralistic identity can balance privacy, inclusivity, and resistance to abuse. Source:
