Singapore pays residents to read books

The National Library Board of Singapore launched ReadSG, a national reading movement, to encourage people to read more in the digital age. As part of the program, residents earn “coins” and points for logging at least 15 minutes of daily reading on the Government Technology Agency’s CrowdTaskSG platform.

Participants receive 20 coins for each 15-minute reading session, with 1,000 coins equivalent to 1 Singapore dollar.

Library officials explained the small reward is meant to promote reading as a habit, not provide income. A 2024 survey showed 89% of adults in Singapore read at least once a week, but only 28% of that reading was books.