Kids using Family Link will get Google Wallet support next year

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What you need to know

• Google has announced that it will bring Google Wallet and tap-to-pay support to Family Link devices next year.

• This functionality will allow children to use cards and passes on their devices under parental supervision.

• First appearing on Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatches, they will soon be coming to Family Link Android devices.

Next year, Google will introduce a long-requested feature for Android phones controlled by Family Link: Google Wallet for Kids. The company told 9to5Google that starting in 2025, kids will be able to download the Google Wallet app on supervised Family Link devices, making contactless payments possible. Of course, there will be several tools and restrictions that will allow parents to monitor their child’s activities.

To begin with, the version of Google Wallet available for children will not include support for online payments. Kids can make in-store purchases using Google Wallet’s tap-to-pay feature, but can’t buy things online. Additionally, parents will need to approve a credit or debit card before it can be added to their child’s Google Wallet app. Every time a child wants to make a purchase, they need to confirm the authenticity of the contactless payment – just like in the full version of the Google Wallet app.

Google Wallet for Kids was popularized with the release of the Fitbit Ace LTE, a smartwatch aimed at kids, earlier this year. Fitbit Ace LTE supports contactless payments, and Google will now bring the same capability to more devices controlled by Family Link.

Parents won’t have to manually approve each payment, but will see their child’s purchase transaction history. If something goes wrong, Family Link managers can remotely remove the Google Wallet card from a child’s devices. Overall, the experience will be similar to handing your child a credit or debit card, but with one less thing for them to lose.

Some functionality is limited; children cannot add ID or use health cards, but can use event passes. This will also initially be a somewhat limited rollout, starting in the US and select countries in 2025, with broader expansion to follow.

“Following positive response to tap-to-pay technology on Fitbit Ace LTE devices, we are expanding the tap-to-pay experience for kids in Google Wallet,” Google said in a statement to 9to5Google. “The new experience is designed with safety in mind. This will allow parents to control their children’s usage, including approving new cards, easily deleting cards, and viewing transaction history.”