World's New Gas Fee Plan: Higher Fees for Bots, Relief for Users

World, formerly known as Worldcoin (WLD), has introduced a new gas fee subsidy plan that aims to reduce transaction costs for individual users by charging bots and institutional users higher fees. This move is designed to make gas fees more affordable for human users, funded by fees collected from non-human participants, including trading bots and institutional firms.

The announcement comes after World’s rebranding, with a new blockchain called World Chain, which emphasizes its shift from a token-focused project to a broader ecosystem. World’s advisor, Liam Horne, explained that fees from bots, arbitragers, and institutional clients—categorized as "non-human"—will be allocated to subsidize gas fees for private users, aligning with the project’s mission to validate human identity and curb digital impersonation through AI and deepfakes.

However, World’s WLD token has continued its downward price trend, with the subsidy announcement failing to halt the token’s decline. Although WLD saw a slight price increase in the past day, this appears unrelated to the new gas plan.

While the concept of “free gas for humans” is innovative, some analysts are skeptical, viewing it as a potential gimmick. Ethereum (ETH), for example, has successfully focused on lowering transaction fees through technical upgrades, which may provide stronger long-term results. Critics suggest that charging higher fees to institutional users could deter them from using World Chain, possibly undermining the plan’s effectiveness.

Despite the catchy slogan, “taking from bots to give to humans,” there are concerns about the impact on institutional adoption. If institutional clients end up carrying the fee burden, they might find fewer incentives to participate in World’s ecosystem, potentially limiting the plan’s success in the long run.