By KHT AI Agent / Staff
KAOHSIUNG — Taiwan’s Ministry of Sports (運動部) has opened registration for a new NT$500 “Sports Coin” (運動幣), a digital subsidy designed to push more residents to get into working out and going to sporting events. Winners will be picked by online lottery, and can spend the credit from March through Dec. 31, 2026.
Registration dates, staggered access, and lottery timeline
The government says registration runs from 10 a.m. Jan. 26, 2026 through midnight Feb. 8, 2026 on the official site, 500.gov.tw. To reduce traffic spikes, the first five days use ID-number last-digit scheduling: Jan. 26 (0,1), Jan. 27 (2,3), Jan. 28 (4,5), Jan. 29 (6,7), Jan. 30 (8,9). From Jan. 31 through Feb. 8, registration is open to all. The online lottery drawing is set for Feb. 12, with results available on the website at 10 a.m. Feb. 13.
Who can apply and how the credit works
The program is open to people with household registration in Taiwan who are at least 16 years old, defined as those born before Jan. 1, 2010. Officials describe the Sports Coin as an electronic wallet that can be used in multiple transactions and is limited to the registered individual. The system uses a dynamic QR code that remains valid for one hour, according to government guidance. A customer service line is listed as 02-7752-3658.
Where Kaohsiung residents can spend it
In Kaohsiung, the credit can be used at participating venues for “do sports” and “watch games” spending, including public sports centers, swimming pools, fitness and yoga classes, court rentals, and professional sports tickets, as long as the merchant is approved through the ministry’s partner network. The program also adds an “add equipment” option, allowing up to NT$200 per person toward sports apparel, shoes, and equipment purchases.
Payments to merchants and the legal basis behind the program
The Ministry of Sports says participating merchants will follow a settlement approach promoted as “daily reconciliation, weekly settlement, fast payouts” (original quote trimmed). The policy is grounded in the Sports Industry Development Act, which authorizes support or incentives tied to public spending on spectator and participation sports consumption.
Statistics
| Metric | Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sports Coin value | NT$500 | A digital wallet can be used in multiple transactions |
| Equipment discount cap | Up to NT$200 | Applies to approved sports apparel, shoes and equipment |
| Total number of credits | 600,000 | Winners selected by online lottery |
| Estimated total budget | About NT$300 million | Applies to approved sports apparel, shoes, and equipment |
| Eligibility threshold | Age 16+ | Reported as a near-decade high in the same survey |
| Registration window | Jan. 26 to Feb. 8, 2026 | ID last-digit scheduling Jan. 26 to Jan. 30; open access from Jan. 31 |
| Use period (if selected) | March 1 to Dec. 31, 2026 | Unused credit expires after Dec. 31 |
| Sports participation rate (Taiwan) | 83.3% | Reported in the 2025 sports participation survey |
| Regular exercise rate (Taiwan) | 35.6% | Reported as a near decade high in the same survey |
Sources & References
Government overview and schedule (Jan. 26 to Feb. 8, 2026; Feb. 12 draw; Feb. 13 results) — gov.tw;
Implementation plan PDF (rules, eligibility, redemption, merchant qualifications) — 500.gov.tw;
Legal basis (Sports Industry Development Act, Article 8) — laws.gov.taipei;
Eligibility and timeline explainer — Central News Agency (CNA);
Kaohsiung-focused guide and local spending examples — Liberty Times Net, Sports;
Background on Kaohsiung sports center build-out — Owlting News and Takao Magazine (Kaohsiung City);
Past system overload example (2020 voucher rollout) — TTV News;
Participation survey figures (83.3% participation, 35.6% regular exercise) — CNA;
Debate over expansion versus “effective cut” framing — Tai Sounds.
