Google is bringing its tap-to-pay Wallet app to kids with Family Link accounts, starting in 2025. This move will allow supervised children to use their Android phones for contactless payments in stores. Google tested this feature earlier on the Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatch, receiving positive feedback from both kids and parents, 9to5Google reports.
How Google Wallet for kids works
With the upcoming feature, children with Family Link-managed Android devices will be able to make tap-to-pay transactions in stores. Google Wallet for kids will allow them to store gift cards, event tickets, and bank-issued debit and credit cards, but it will not support digital IDs or allow online purchases. Safety and parental supervision are central to this new service.
Parents will have full control over their child’s Wallet through the Family Link app. They will need to approve every payment card added to the Wallet, and they can monitor transactions, remove cards, or even block passes remotely. Google emphasized the safety features, including PIN, fingerprint, or facial recognition for payment authentication, ensuring that children’s spending is closely monitored.
A new way to handle pocket money
The introduction of Google Wallet for kids comes at a time when digital payments dominate the financial landscape in North America. Nearly 70% of payments in the USA and Canada are now digital, making it important for children to learn how to handle money electronically. By offering a digital platform for kids to manage pocket money, Google aims to help them learn financial responsibility while giving parents tools to guide and oversee their spending.
Parents will no longer need to scramble for cash or coins when giving their children money for various needs. Instead, they can simply add funds to their child’s Google Wallet, which the child can use in stores through tap-to-pay. The Wallet’s integration with Family Link gives parents confidence, knowing they can approve or remove cards and see exactly how their children spend their money.
Safety and supervision features
Google highlighted that the feature has been built with safety as a priority. Just like the adult version of Google Wallet, children will need to authenticate their payments using a device PIN, fingerprint, or facial recognition before completing any transactions. Parents will also need to approve the cards used by their children and will have the ability to track spending and intervene if needed.
Google has already built much of the necessary infrastructure for tap-to-pay for kids when they launched the Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatch for children. Following its positive reception, the company decided to expand the feature to Google Wallet. As Google puts it: “The new experience is built with safety in mind, and will allow parents to supervise their kids’ usage – including approving new cards, easily removing cards, and viewing transaction history.”
Featured image credit: Kerem Gülen/Ideogram
