Google Wallet introduces supervised digital balance for children

Google has introduced a new feature for Google Wallet designed to allow parents in the United States to manage a digital balance for their children under the age of 18. Integrated with Google Family Link, the service enables parents to transfer funds, set daily spending limits, monitor transactions, and block the balance if necessary.

Minors can use the digital balance to make contactless payments at compatible merchants using Android smartphones with NFC or Wear OS smartwatches. The system is intended to teach financial responsibility without requiring the child to hold a personal bank account.

Operational limits include a maximum balance of $4,000, with parents able to add up to $2,000 every seven days. Currently, the service is exclusive to the United States, though future expansions to other regions may be possible. The feature focuses on physical in-store payments; online or in-app payments via Google services are not currently enabled for this specific balance.