You have to be at least 13 years old to have a Cash App account in the United States. If you’re between 13 and 17, you can’t open one on your own; a parent or guardian with a verified Cash App account has to sponsor you.1Cash App. Minimum Age Requirements At 18, you can either convert that sponsored account into a fully independent one or sign up fresh with no sponsor involved.2Cash App. Sponsored Accounts Turning 18
What a Sponsored Account Lets a Teen Do
A sponsored account isn’t a stripped-down version of Cash App. Teens get access to peer-to-peer payments, a customizable Visa debit card, Cash App Pay, direct deposit, Boost discounts, and even investing in bitcoin and stocks, as long as the sponsor turns those features on.3Cash App. Sponsored Accounts Overview Fractional shares of stock or bitcoin start at $1.4Cash App. Secure Debit Card for Teens – Money App for Teens 13 to 17
The sponsor stays the legal owner of the account until the teen turns 18.3Cash App. Sponsored Accounts Overview They can track all transaction activity, toggle individual features on or off, and set custom spending limits for both debit card purchases and peer-to-peer transfers. Cash App also applies its own platform-wide caps on how much a teen account can send or spend, and a sponsor can’t raise their teen’s limits above those caps.5Cash App. Sponsor Controls and Visibility for Sponsored Accounts The exact dollar figures aren’t published in a single place, so expect them to be lower than what a verified adult account allows.
Sponsors can also block specific Cash App accounts from interacting with the teen. Once a sponsor sets a block, the teen can’t remove it. The reverse is also true: if the teen blocks someone, the sponsor can’t undo it.6Cash App. Blocking for Families
How a Parent Sets Up the Sponsorship
The teen starts the process by downloading Cash App and choosing the option to find a sponsor during sign-up. That sends a request to the parent or guardian’s device. The sponsor opens their own Cash App, goes to the Activity tab, finds the pending request, and confirms.
To finish setup, the sponsor needs to provide the teen’s full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number. The sponsor’s own account has to already be verified, meaning they’ve previously confirmed their identity with government-issued ID. Having the teen’s email or phone number ready speeds up the link between the two accounts. Names and dates have to match the teen’s legal documents exactly or the process stalls.
If the Sponsorship Ends Before 18
A sponsor can end the arrangement at any time by contacting Cash App support. When that happens, the teen’s Cash App Card is deactivated, the balance loses FDIC insurance, and any bitcoin or stock holdings are sold automatically, with the proceeds added to the teen’s cash balance.2Cash App. Sponsored Accounts Turning 18 The investments don’t sit and wait. They’re liquidated at whatever the market price is that day. To keep using the app, the teen would need a different eligible adult to start a new sponsorship.
What Changes at 18
On your 18th birthday, Cash App sends an in-app notification that you’re eligible to verify your identity and take over the account. You can start from the Activity tab (the clock icon) or from your Profile under “Family.”2Cash App. Sponsored Accounts Turning 18
Verification asks for your full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number. Once you’re approved, the sponsorship link is removed, you become the sole owner of the account, and you keep whatever cash balance, bitcoin, or stock was there.2Cash App. Sponsored Accounts Turning 18 Any features the sponsor had switched off become available to you.
Don’t put the verification prompt off. If you don’t verify after being notified, your access to features can be restricted or the sponsorship can end entirely. The consequences then match an early termination: the card is deactivated, the balance loses FDIC insurance, and investments are sold automatically.2Cash App. Sponsored Accounts Turning 18 If the first verification attempt fails, try again through the Family section under your profile before assuming you’re locked out.
If you’re already 18 or older and have never had a Cash App account, you can sign up directly and verify your identity in the same flow, without any sponsor involved.2Cash App. Sponsored Accounts Turning 18
Why 13 Is the Floor
Children under 13 can’t have a Cash App account at all, sponsored or otherwise. That line isn’t arbitrary. The federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act places strict requirements on any online service that collects personal information from children under 13, including mandatory parental consent before any data is gathered and limits on what can be collected.7Federal Trade Commission. Complying with COPPA – Frequently Asked Questions Setting the minimum at 13 keeps Cash App out of that heavier regulatory layer while the sponsorship requirement adds parental oversight for everyone under 18. A teen’s personal information, including their Social Security number, is still collected and handled under Cash App’s general privacy policies, with the sponsor’s verified identity serving as the accountability layer on the account.