Can parents now send money to kids through Google Wallet without a bank account?

How the balance appears on a child's device

A parent opens Family Link and selects the option to set up a Google Wallet balance for a child or teen under eighteen. The system creates a dedicated balance inside the child's Google Wallet app. No bank account is required. The parent's payment method funds it directly. The balance appears on an Android phone or Wear OS watch with NFC enabled. It lives only on that device.

What the child can do at the register

When the child holds the unlocked Android phone or Wear OS watch near a contactless terminal, the terminal reads the NFC signal. Google Pay processes the transaction using the child's Google Wallet balance. The payment completes without the child handing over a physical card. The child does not need to open an app at the moment of payment. The device screen can stay off if the terminal supports background NFC reads. The child cannot spend more than the current balance. The child cannot withdraw cash from an ATM using this balance. The child cannot send money to other users. The child cannot make online purchases that require a card number, expiry date, and CVV. The balance works only for in‑store tap‑to‑pay transactions. This is the only way the balance works. Simple. The child sees the balance amount on the device screen before tapping. After a successful payment, a confirmation appears. The transaction shows up in the child's wallet history. Parents also see it in Family Link instantly. The child cannot delete the transaction record. The balance updates in real time after each purchase. If the balance reaches zero, further tap attempts are declined at the terminal. The child can ask the parent to add more money. The parent can do so remotely from their own device. No physical handoff is needed. The system is designed for simplicity and safety. The child's device must be unlocked for the NFC transaction to proceed. This prevents accidental payments if the device is in a pocket or bag. The feature works at any contactless terminal that accepts Google Pay. Millions of stores in the U.S. already support it. No special merchant setup is required. The child's balance is not a credit line. It is a prepaid balance funded solely by the parent. The child cannot go into debt. The child cannot overdraft. The balance is denominated in U.S. dollars. International transactions are not supported. The feature is rolling out to parents in the U.S. first.

What parents control through Family Link

Parents see the child's balance in real time inside Family Link. They can transfer money from their own linked account at any moment. Automated recurring transfers will arrive soon. Parents can set a spending limit that caps how much the child can spend in a single transaction or over a day. They can review every transaction as it happens. They can lock the balance instantly if the device is lost or if they want to pause spending. They can unlock it just as fast when the situation changes. The parent does not need to approve each individual purchase. The limits and the real‑time view replace per‑transaction approval. The parent can remove the balance entirely from the child's device. The parent can also manage multiple children's balances from one Family Link account. Control stays with the parent.

Whether the balance carries fees, earns interest or is insured, the announcement does not say — worth asking before the first transfer.