Google Wallet has introduced a new feature in the United States that lets parents send money directly to children under 18 without requiring the child to open a bank account. Funds are stored in a dedicated Wallet balance for the minor, who can then use a compatible Android phone or Wear OS smartwatch to make tap-to-pay purchases anywhere Visa contactless payments are accepted. Parents keep control over the account through Family Link or the Google Wallet web interface, with tools to set daily spending limits, review transaction history, receive notifications, and remotely lock or unlock access. Google said scheduled automatic allowances are planned but have not gone live yet, so transfers still need to be made manually for now. The company also told Bloomberg that minors cannot currently use the balance for online purchases, in-app purchases, or person-to-person transfers. Google has also blocked spending in merchant categories such as alcohol, tobacco, gambling, dating apps, car rentals, lodging, and firearms. The move places Google alongside Apple, PayPal, and Block, all of which now offer supervised accounts aimed at teenagers and family spending.

YouTube has launched a feature allowing users to set a zero-minute daily limit on Shorts, effectively hiding the short video feed. Originally for teens, the feature now extends to all accounts, signaling proactive regulatory compliance.