Kids Will Soon Be able to Tap and Pay on Android

You used to want to keep your credit card away from your kids, but thanks to the advent of tap-to-pay and parental controls, you can now let them borrow your card information. I’m going on an unauthorized shopping spree. According to the information shared by Google 9to5Googlechildren are supervised Family Connection will soon be able to download and use the Google Wallet app to make in-person payments on Android phones.

The feature follows a similar functionality that was formerly exclusive to the children’s Fitbit Ace LTE fitness tracker and will require the child to enter a PIN, password, fingerprint or use facial recognition before paying.

Notably, this feature won’t work for online payments, so you don’t have to worry about your kid suddenly going power-hungry and buying V-Bucks with your money (unless they’re buying gift cards at the local Walgreens). It’s more intended to help them pay for school lunches and things like that. Kids will also be able to store gift cards or event tickets in their Google Wallet, but IDs or health cards won’t work initially.

Details on exactly how to enable or place restrictions on the feature are a bit vague (I’ve reached out to Google for more information), but in a statement to 9to5Google the company said parents will be able to use the feature. Family Link app to control their child’s tap-to-pay usage where they can approve new cards, remove cards and view transaction history.

Ideally, I’d like to have to confirm every transaction before it goes through, although it depends on the tap-to-pay method. Worked on Fitbit Ace LTEThis is unlikely to be on file. This device also did not allow parents to set spending limits for tap-to-pay; instead, it directed them to debit card providers, but also limited kids’ tap-to-pay to debit cards from Greenlight or GoHenry. Google Wallet for Kids on Android phones will instead let them use any parent-approved payment card, so it’s possible it could offer additional features as well.

Google Wallet for Kids on Android phones will be available next year in the United States (and other yet-to-be-named countries) before expanding further. Meanwhile, Apple already lets kids use tap-to-pay Apple Cash Familythough this feature is limited to Apple Cash accounts, instead allowing parents to add payment cards of their choice to their child’s tap-to-pay wallet.