Android will soon let kids use tap-to-pay – but the idea isn't as bad as it sounds

A hand making a contactless payment with a smartphone at a shop terminal

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Nattakorn_Maneerat)

Under-18s will soon be able to use their Android phone to complete contactless payments with parent-approved debit and credit cards.

In a statement issued to 9to5Google, Google confirmed that Google Wallet will be made available to kids in 2025.

To download and use the Wallet app, the individual in question must be a supervised child in Google’s Family Link system, which will allow them to use their parent or guardian’s approved debit or credit card to make tap-to-pay purchases in stores. Crucially, this system won't work online.

You may like

And even in brick-and-mortar environments, a device PIN, password, or biometric authentication will be needed to approve contactless payments.

Parents and guardians will also be able to view recent transactions, approve and remove cards remotely, and block passes.

This implementation of the Wallet app also allows the storage of event tickets and gift cards, but not health cards or any form of ID – at least not at launch.

The rollout follows the successful implementation of tap-to-pay on the Fitbit Ace LTE kids activity tracker, which Google says has garnered positive feedback (Fitbit has been a Google brand since 2021).

In fact, much of the infrastructure that will enable kids to use Google Wallet for Android is based on this earlier implementation on Wear OS.

Google Wallet for kids will roll out starting in 2025, with the US among the first countries to receive these new features. According to PhoneArena, Google is proceeding cautiously with this rollout to gather feedback and prioritize user safety.

It’s been a year of substantial updates for the Google Wallet app – as we previously reported, the app now supports passports, health insurance information, and library cards, among other types of passes and tickets.

As mentioned, the under-18s version of the app will be a lot simpler, but this change nonetheless represents another step towards Google’s apparent goal of having Wallet be your app for storing everything.

For the latest updates and official announcements, be sure to keep up with our Android coverage.

See more News about Phones

Jamie is a Mobile Computing Staff Writer for TechRadar, responsible for covering phones and tablets. He’s been tech-obsessed from a young age and has written for various news and culture publications. Jamie graduated from Goldsmiths, University of London in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Since starting out as a music blogger in 2020, he’s worked on local news stories, finance trade magazines, and multimedia political features. He brings a love for digital journalism and consumer technology to TechRadar. Outside of the TechRadar office, Jamie can be found binge-watching tech reviews, DJing in local venues around London, or challenging friends to a game of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.