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Rachel Wolfson
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Cryptocurrency is no longer just for adults. While traditional financial assets like stocks and bonds are often gifted to children by parents who open custodial accounts, crypto exchange Binance aims to help families build wealth through crypto assets.
Announced on Wednesday during Binance Blockchain Week, the crypto exchange explained that “Binance Junior” is the first standalone mobile app that is controlled entirely by parents for children.
The app allows adults with a Binance account to deposit crypto into a savings account for kids and teenagers between the ages of 6 to 17. The tool also allows parents to set spending and transfer limits, while enabling earn products for kids dependent on local regulations.
The Importance of Crypto Adoption at Young Ages
Binance’s newly appointed co-founder Yi He explained the importance behind Binance Junior at Binance Blockchain Week.
“We not only nurture children in their early development, but also with long-term growth, responsibility and wisdom,” the executive stated. “Helping children face real life challenges independently means that financial health and literacy are key to preparing them for the future, especially as money is evolving.”
While the notion of educating children on the importance of cryptocurrency may be controversial, findings from a recent survey conducted by Gemini show that more than half (51%) of global Gen Z respondents currently own cryptocurrency or have owned it in the past. The report also notes that over half of Gen Z respondents located in the US owned or had owned cryptocurrency (51%), compared to 49% of Millennials (people born 1981-1994).
This demonstrates the growing appeal for crypto adoption amongst younger generations. Binance Junior aims to further facilitate this by allowing children 13 years and up to initiate transfers independently within the app, as long as local regulations are met and daily limits are applied.
Teaching Children About Crypto: Beneficial or Concerning?
While some users on the social media platform X expressed concerns around Binance Junior, the new app aims to align with a growing trend of teaching children about the importance of cryptocurrency at early ages.
Henri Arslanian, co-founder of Nine Blocks Capital and a best-selling author, told Cryptonews that it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Binance has launched Binance Junior.
“Children used to have penny banks to keep fiat in, but now we have hard assets like Bitcoin and there is a huge learning element there that becomes critical,” he said.
Arslanian added that Binance Junior aligns with children’s books and toys centered around cryptocurrency. In September last year, Arslanian published Decoding Crypto, a best-selling children’s book that explains digital assets in simple terms.
Other books including B is for Bitcoin by Graeme Moore – which is an A-to-Z style alphabet book where each letter links to a crypto term – also aim to make crypto learning fun for children. Goodnight Crypto by Scott Blair is a book that is even suitable for toddlers. Included in the story are 42 collectible non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that can be minted and added to a crypto wallet.
In addition, Binance released a self-published book entitled ABC’s of Crypto that breaks down fundamental terms including security and blockchain technology, to different types of crypto coins.
Cautiously Preparing the Next Generation for Crypto Adoption
While it’s notable that initiatives are being taken to teach young children about digital assets, caution should be exercised.
Parents and teachers explaining cryptocurrency to younger generations may wish to point out the volatile nature of digital assets. Focusing on concepts like savings, diversification, long-term thinking, and risk versus reward rather than price speculation may also be helpful.
