Singapore Is Paying People to Put Down Their Phones and Read Books
Singapore's National Library Board launched ReadSG, a five-year national reading campaign that incentivizes reading by converting logged reading time into virtual coins redeemable for cash. Participants earn S$0.02 for 15 minutes of daily reading, with a parallel 'Read for Good' track aiming for a collective goal to unlock a charitable donation. The program is designed as a behavioral nudge to combat phone-centric habits and promote literacy.
Why it matters
This initiative represents an innovative government-led approach to combat digital addiction and promote literacy through gamification and modest financial incentives, offering a potential model for other nations grappling with similar societal challenges in the digital age.
Singapore’s National Library Board launched ReadSG on 6 September 2026 , a five-year national reading campaign that converts logged reading time into virtual coins redeemable for cash. The initiative has drawn attention from governments and educators worldwide who are watching to see whether a small financial reward can reshape phone-centric habits .
The program uses a simple coin mechanic: log reading time on a government platform and earn rewards redeemable for cash.
Log at least 15 minutes of reading on GovTech’s CrowdTaskSG platform and you earn 20 virtual coins . The conversion rate is fixed: 1,000 coins equal S$1, putting one daily session’s value at roughly S$0.02.
Only one session per day counts toward your coin balance. Fifty consecutive days of reading earns you a single Singapore dollar, according to The Times and Indulge Express.
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