Online game developer Wargaming has chosen ¥Coins as an alternative payment option in Japan.

¥Coins (pronounced Yen Coins) is a Yen-based virtual currency offered by international mobile messaging and mobile payments provider infobip. The tokens can be exchanged for digital and virtual goods in games, social networks and online worlds.

Japanese regulation requires digital content providers to have a local presence in order to launch paid content or m-payments services in Japan. ¥Coin tokens enable them to sell content without setting up a local company.

¥Coins purchases are charged to prepaid or post-paid mobile accounts. The direct billing service is available from all Japanese mobile operators. Alternatively, game cards from Japan's leading providers are also accepted for top-up, Infobip said.

"Launching in any new market is a daunting task, but Infobip knows the Japanese market well," Ilija Krklec, Infobip's business development manager for Japan, said in a statement. "With ¥Coins, international content providers get the opportunity to monetise their services in Japan and enter this demanding but profitable market."

Nicosia, Cyprus-based Wargaming is a leader in the free-to-play MMO (massively multiplayer online) games market. The company's main product is the MMO war series dedicated to mid-20th century warfare. Wargaming's flagship armored MMO game World of Tanks, launched in April 2011, has over 75 million players worldwide, the company says. Other titles include World of Warplanes launched in November 2013 and the World of Warships, scheduled for release in 2014.

Read more about in-app payments.