The North American publishing segment of Nexon Corp., Nexon America, has decided to partner with Playspan and tap its platform to power payments of Nexon Cash (NX) virtual currency. Playspan is the leading provider of monetization solutions for online games, virtual worlds, social networks, and video games. This deal is expected to spread out payment routes and expand credit cards and multiple purchase options to the Nexon’s more than 12 million gamers. Experts also see this as a major customer win for PlaySpan as it adds another widely used virtual currency into a payment portfolio that already includes THQ ICE, Nickelodeon’s Neocash, Hi5 Coins, and Facebook Credits.

In his most recent interview regarding this tie up with Playspan, Daniel Kim, Nexon America’s CEO, explains the significance of this union especially for their customers. He said, “Our selection of PlaySpan’s platform will allow us to deliver greater payment alternatives to our players, ensuring that they will always have access to premium entertainment content. This is yet another in a series of partnerships we are working on to provide our players with a safe and secure platform so they can focus on what really matters – having fun.”

The other half of this partnership, Playspan, through its Founder & CEO Karl Mehta boasts how the organization has built its reputation and become a prime player in the monetization industry. He said, “Nexon’s selection of UltimatePay to manage credit card payments for gamers who purchase Nexon Cash is testament to our superior risk management features. “We’re pleased to add one of the most recognized brands in the MMO space to our growing list of world class game developers and publishers.”

Meanwhile, this is not the first time that Playspan was chosen by a gaming business. In a report posted on SiliconANGLE, Playspan announced partnership with game developer Square Enix—whose claim to fame includes Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Tomb Raider. It’s also very interesting to note that the timing of Nexon seeking Playspan’s payment platforms is very smart with the holiday season fast approaching. Virtual goods and prepaid game cards sales surged up last Black Friday and Thanksgiving weekend. Prepaid card overall sales were 48% bigger compared to the previous year and virtual goods ticks 60% increase from 2009 sales.