Google Wallet adds parent-controlled balances for kids under 18

Google announced Thursday that Google Wallet will now let parents set up a secure balance for children under 18. The company says the feature is designed to help parents teach healthy financial habits while maintaining oversight of their child’s spending through built-in safeguards.

Parents can set daily spending limits, review their child’s transaction history, and opt to receive notifications whenever a purchase is made. They can also lock or unlock the account if a child’s device is lost, or activate a temporary “spending timeout” to pause spending at any time.

The feature brings Google Wallet more in line with competing tools such as Apple Cash Family, which lets parents send money to their children while monitoring transactions and managing spending controls. Google is also positioning the update against startups like FamZoo and Greenlight, which let parents teach financial literacy through prepaid debit card systems.

Kids can use an Android device or a Wear OS device to tap and pay wherever Google Pay is accepted. Google frames the feature as a way for children to manage their own money without needing an actual bank account.

The update is rolling out in the United States. It’s unknown when, or if, Google plans to bring the capability to additional regions.

The feature builds on an earlier update in which Google let parents and guardians in select countries allow their children to use digital payments on Android devices under parental supervision, with a payment card addable only with parental consent and an email sent to parents whenever a child makes a transaction. That update also gave kids the ability to use Google Wallet to access supported passes, such as event tickets, library cards, and gift cards.

Why it matters

As Big Tech platforms push further into managing family finances, the growing set of parental controls around digital payments could shape how an entire generation first learns to use money — while also drawing more of children’s financial lives into a handful of tech ecosystems.