As more and more kids get payment cards, Google Wallet updates its functionality to enable in-store cashless payments for those youngest generation representatives who received parental consent.
Google Wallet rolls out a new feature allowing children in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Spain and Poland to pay for their own purchases in-store using their Android devices with appropriate supervision.
Besides making cashless payments, kids in select countries will be able to use the given digital wallet to keep supported passes like event tickets, library cards and gift cards.
All the new functionality will be available to the youngsters with parental consent only. Parents also get some tools to manage their kids’ payment options Thus, a child’s payment cards can only be added if a parent approves that. Whenever the child makes a purchase, the parent will receive an email notification. Parents can also keep track of their child’s recent purchases, remove any saved payment cards, and disable access to passes directly through the Family Link app, currently used only for setting screen time controls and tracking.
To enable the new functionality, parents should add their kids’ payment cards to Google Wallet, so that they can pay for purchases in stores via phone or smartwatch with NFC functionality. Online or in-app payments through Google Pay or other Google services won’t be available to minors until they reach the age of digital consent, which varies across countries within the range of 13-16, and start managing their Google accounts themselves.
For a child to use contactless payments, they need a supervised Google account, an Android device with NFC or a Wear OS watch (Fitbit devices aren’t supported), and a payment method added to Google Wallet. Google Wallet must be set as the default payment app, and the phone must have a screen lock enabled. The latter function is very important since if a child turns off the screen lock, their payment cards will be automatically removed from the Google Wallet on that device. To make setup easier, it’s best to install Google Wallet on the child’s phone first before adding a payment method.
When making contactless payments in stores, the child must confirm each transaction by unlocking their device with their chosen authentication method. They can verify their identity in Google Wallet using options like a PIN code, password, key, or biometric data (class 3, which involves high-quality fingerprint scans or facial recognition that uses depth mapping or other advanced technology). Google Wallet doesn’t support weaker class 1 or 2 biometrics, nor features like Smart Unlock or Knock to Unlock.
Parents will manage their child’s account using the Family Link app and receive all the transaction-related notifications via e-mail. Children cannot add payment cards on their own. However, they can add supported customer cards and tickets.
Today, an increasing number of parents provide minors with payment cards, particularly in the United States. There, about 8% of parents have at least one child with a credit card. Many more are opting for prepaid or debit cards to teach their children financial literacy and responsibility and provide controlled spending options.
