Google Wallet Adds Supervised Balances for Kids

Google began allowing children with Family Link-supervised accounts to make in-store tap-to-pay purchases through Google Wallet on March 19, 2025, initially in the United States, the UK, Australia, Spain and Poland. Parents still had to add an eligible payment card, limiting access for families without a child-linked bank card. The new supervised balance moves Google closer to a youth-money account, combining allowance funding, spending visibility and mobile payments without requiring the child to hold a bank account.

On August 6, 2026, Google launched Balance in Google Wallet for supervised users under 18 in the United States. Family managers can fund it through Family Link or the Wallet website, set a daily cap, monitor transactions in real time and remotely lock access. Funding is limited to $2,000 in any seven-day period, while each balance is capped at $4,000. Children can tap to pay on eligible Android or Wear OS devices, but cannot shop online or withdraw cash. The underlying Google Pay Balance Prepaid Visa card is issued by Pathward, N.A.