People who read books in Singapore will be paid money

A new program has been launched in Singapore to encourage the population to read books regularly. The initiative, named ReadSG, was launched by the National Library Board (NLB) of Singapore on September 6, 2026. Within the program, citizens can read books for at least 15 minutes a day and collect virtual coins for it. This was reported by The Times.

In the ReadSG Challenge program, participants record their reading time on the government's CrowdTask SG platform. For every 15 minutes of reading, 20 virtual coins are awarded. A participant who collects 1,000 coins can exchange them for 1 Singapore dollar.

The organizers noted that the main goal of the initiative is to distract people from short and fast digital content and build the habit of regular and focused reading. According to NLB head Melissa Tam, 15 minutes of reading a day was chosen as a simple starting goal to build the habit.

ReadSG is a five-year national campaign that replaced the previous National Reading Movement program. The organizers aim to develop deeper and more regular reading skills among the population at a time when short videos and fast content on social networks are becoming increasingly popular.

According to a study conducted by the NLB in 2024, 28 percent of the adult population in Singapore read books weekly. The updated ReadSG program aims to turn reading into a daily habit.