Singapore launches program that rewards people for reading 15 minutes a day

Singapore has launched a national initiative aimed at encouraging people to read for at least 15 minutes a day, offering virtual rewards as an incentive to develop regular reading habits amid the growing dominance of digital content.

The ReadSG movement was launched on September 6 and allows participants to register their reading sessions through a government platform. Users can set personal goals, maintain reading streaks and accumulate experience points and virtual coins.

Under the program, each reading session lasting at least 15 minutes earns 20 virtual coins. Once participants accumulate 1,000 coins, they can exchange them for 1 Singapore dollar, equivalent to approximately $0.79. However, only one reading session per day qualifies for the monetary reward.

The pilot program will run until December 31, during which authorities plan to introduce adjustments and new features. The initiative is part of a five-year effort to strengthen reading habits across different age groups.

“If we think about having an impact across a broad spectrum of the population, the young, middle-aged and older people, we should be prepared to be patient because habits form slowly,” said Tharman Shanmugaratnam, patron of ReadSG.

Melissa Tam, an executive with Singapore’s National Library Board, which launched the initiative, said the program comes at a time when people consume large amounts of content without necessarily taking the time to engage with it in depth.

The National Library Board hopes to attract 150,000 users by September 2027. In addition to virtual coins, participants can earn other rewards, including limited-edition library charms, by attending selected events organized by the institution and its partners between September and November.