Ecosystem Growth and Scalability
Sam Altman’s World has unveiled a technical upgrade to World Chain that allows developers to transform existing web applications into Mini Apps with as little as two lines of code. Known as Minikit 2.0, the upgrade standardizes development across the ecosystem by aligning with Ethereum’s EIP-1193 standard, enabling a “build once, deploy everywhere” workflow.
The upgrade comes as World experiences a surge in consumer engagement, with Mini Apps recording more than 12.1 million opens in one week alone and surpassing 2.2 billion all-time opens. According to a media release, Minikit 2.0 introduces several core infrastructure improvements designed to remove friction for both developers and end-users.
First, through the integration of Flashblocks, transaction confirmation times have plummeted from 2 seconds to just 200 milliseconds, a shift vital for gaming and high-frequency trading. Second, through a partnership with Privy and Zerodev, World now offers gas sponsorship. Developers can cover transaction fees for their users, eliminating the need for newcomers to bridge assets or maintain wallet balances. The upgrade also expands support for a wide array of local stablecoins, positioning World Chain as a main hub for regional finance.
In tandem with the new toolkit, World announced the opening of applications for World Build 3, its developer program. The initiative has become a significant force in the industry; previous participants have raised more than $15 million from venture capital firms to build on World’s “proof of human” infrastructure.
The third cohort is structured to accelerate project growth through a rigorous global schedule that starts with a four-day hackathon with a $20,000 prize pool. This is followed by an intensive in-person sprint hosted in Seoul, a three-month incubation period for scaling applications, and a final showcase to investors in San Francisco.
Meanwhile, the media release revealed that World will demonstrate the capabilities of Minikit 2.0 and the broader World Chain ecosystem at EthCC. With the upgrade now live, the barrier to entry for the World App has been effectively removed, allowing teams to scale from standalone web versions to full World Chain applications without altering core logic.
FAQ ❓
- What is Minikit 2.0? Minikit 2.0 is World’s new toolkit that lets developers convert web apps into Mini Apps with as little as two lines of code.
- Why does it matter for developers? It standardizes development with Ethereum’s EIP‑1193, enabling a “build once, deploy everywhere” workflow across World App and web.
- What is World Build 3? World Build 3 is the latest cohort of World’s developer program, offering hackathons, incubation, and investor showcases to accelerate projects.
- How can teams benefit? Past participants raised over $15M, and the new program includes a $20,000 hackathon, a Seoul sprint, and a Demo Day in San Francisco.