Google Wallet adds supervised balances for US kids

Google has launched a new feature allowing parents in the United States to set up and manage a digital spending balance for their children directly within Google Wallet. The feature, which became available on August 6, 2026, enables parents to create a secure, supervised account for minors under 18 without requiring a separate bank account for the child.

The tool is designed to function as a digital allowance, giving children and teens the ability to make purchases using tap-to-pay with Android or Wear OS devices at any location that accepts Google Pay. Parents maintain full oversight through a suite of controls accessible via Google's Family Link system. These controls include the ability to set daily spending limits, review transaction histories, and receive optional notifications for each purchase made by the child.

Additional safeguards allow parents to lock the balance remotely, a feature intended both for enacting "spending timeouts" and for securing funds if a child's device is lost or stolen. Google described the offering as a safe, digital-first way for young people to learn financial management and make independent purchases in an increasingly cashless retail environment.