Taiwan boosts NT$500 cloud invoice prizes to 3.85 million per draw

Taipei, Feb. 25 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Finance (MOF) said Wednesday it will add 700,000 additional NT$500 (US$15.60) prizes to the cloud invoice lottery for each bimonthly draw from January to June.

The increase will raise the total number of NT$500 prizes to 3.85 million per draw.

The move is aimed at encouraging consumers to store receipts digitally using mobile barcodes or other carriers, the MOF said.

At a press event, MOF Taxation Administration Deputy Director Ni Li-shin (倪麗心) said that funding for uniform invoice prizes and promotional expenses is a statutory expenditure.

Each year, the agency determines the number and categories of prizes based on the approved annual budget and redemption rates from the previous year, said the deputy.

For each drawing from January to June, it will draw one special prize and one grand prize, while first through sixth prizes will each have three winning numbers, said the MOF.

Cloud invoice prizes per drawing will include 30 prizes of NT$1 million, 16,000 prizes of NT$2,000, 100,000 prizes of NT$800 and 3.85 million prizes of NT$500, said the MOF.

Officials said prize categories and numbers for the second half of the year will be determined after reviewing redemption data from the first half.

The MOF also reminded the public that the MOF's e-Invoice Platform allows users to designate a bank account for automatic prize deposits.

In addition, the ministry's Uniform Invoice Redemption App provides 24-hour online prize claims, said the MOF.

The ministry urged consumers to request cloud invoices, link carriers to mobile barcodes through the e-Invoice platform or app, and claim prizes electronically to promote paperless processes and reduce carbon emissions.

(By Lu Yen-tzu and Lee Chieh-yu)

Enditem/ASG