Google Wallet Now Available for Kids: What the Digital Wallet Offers

Google is planning to introduce digital wallets for children's accounts, allowing parents to manage their kids' allowance through Google Wallet.

Google recently announced plans to enable Google Wallet for children's accounts, bringing a new layer of financial responsibility and digital payment experience to young users.

Parents managing their family's Android devices through Family Link will gain the ability to control their children's allowances and monitor spending digitally, offering an easy and practical way to introduce financial literacy from a young age. According to "9to5 Google," this update is set to roll out next year.

Previously, Google Wallet was unavailable on child accounts managed through Family Link. With the upcoming update, however, children will soon be able to make secure in store payments using their smartphones. To ensure safe usage, any NFC payments will require authentication via a PIN, password, fingerprint, or facial recognition, safeguarding children's transactions.

The child friendly version of Google Wallet will offer a limited selection of features compared to the standard version. For instance, saved credit cards won't be usable for online purchases, and digital IDs or health cards won't be included initially. While these options might come in the future, Google has yet to specify a timeline for any additional functions.

A key difference from the regular version is that children cannot independently add credit cards to their Google Wallet accounts. Instead, each payment method must be approved by a parent, providing an added layer of oversight and control. Family Link also enables parents to track their children's spending in real time and to disable or remove payment methods as needed. This level of parental control empowers families to introduce kids to financial responsibility safely, with oversight tools in place.

In 2025, Google will pilot the Google Wallet feature for children's accounts in select countries, including the U.S., with plans for a gradual rollout. This pilot demonstrates Google's commitment to fostering responsible money management in the digital age, we'll have to wait to see which countries get this feature.