It is a bit tricky to gauge since canon doesn't give a lot to back it up either, but it's definitely something the character claims to have been born with, which is not an unusual thing to say in a canon where everyone is born with some kind of power. His is just the first one that's shown to be passive and it's hard to take literally, HAHA. I think it's best to play it safe and consider it a traditional power then, so I guess it may only be in effect in specific settings as any other canon power.

Thank you for clarifying!