- Singapore’s National Library Board has launched a five-year initiative offering virtual coin rewards to citizens who read for at least 15 minutes daily.
- Researchers have raised concerns that short-form digital content is eroding people’s capacity for sustained, deep reading.
Singapore has launched an unusual campaign to encourage people to read more, paying citizens with virtual rewards for spending time with books and other texts.
The five-year national initiative, led by the National Library Board, is designed to rebuild reading habits at a time when short-form digital content is competing increasingly for people’s attention.
Under the trial program, participants can register one reading session of at least 15 minutes each day on a government website.
Each session earns them 20 virtual coins. Once they accumulate 1,000 coins, they can exchange them for S$1 (about KSh 102), meaning participants need to complete at least 50 reading sessions before receiving their first payout.
The financial reward is deliberately small. Organisers hope that combining incentives with gamification and community participation will encourage people to make reading a regular habit rather than simply offering money for books.
“Short-form content helps us stay informed, but sustained reading strengthens attention, critical thinking and imagination,” said Melissa Tam, head of the National Library Board.
The campaign comes amid growing concern about shrinking attention spans and the effects of excessive consumption of superficial online content, sometimes described as “digital brain rot.”
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Researchers say people have not stopped reading altogether. Instead, much of their reading now takes place on screens and consists of short posts, messages and other fragmented content. Deep reading, which requires sustained concentration and reflection, has become more difficult for many people.
Lo Ching Yi of Singapore’s National Institute of Education said 15 minutes could provide a realistic starting point for people trying to establish a consistent reading routine.
“For someone who reads a lot, 15 minutes may seem very short, but it is a good and accessible starting point,” she said.
International assessments have also highlighted concerns about reading performance among young people. While U.S. results for 15-year-old students have deteriorated in recent assessments, Singapore and China have continued to rank among the stronger-performing education systems.
Educators in Singapore, however, say even strong academic performance does not necessarily translate into a lasting love of reading.
Isaac Neo, a 32-year-old risk analyst, said many teenagers primarily read material required for examinations. Once their studies are over, they can lose the habit of reading for pleasure.
Neo experienced something similar himself. After beginning his career, he realised he had gone years without regularly reading books.
In 2025, he co-founded a book club for men, where members could rediscover reading and explore genres they might otherwise have overlooked. He said participants have shown enthusiasm for bringing books back into their everyday lives.
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The reading-reward program is currently being tested through the end of the year. The National Library Board plans to use participants’ feedback to refine the initiative before deciding how it should develop.
Alongside the individual rewards, organisers are running a charitable campaign with a goal of recording 7.5 million minutes of reading and raising S$150,000 (about US$118,300).
The approach has nevertheless sparked debate. Critics question whether financial incentives can create a genuine, lifelong love of books. Supporters argue that even a modest reward can help people overcome the initial barrier to forming a reading habit in an environment where digital platforms are designed to keep users scrolling.
By Obegi Malack
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