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Predictions of IPv4's demise were premature. A market webinar shows demand has diversified, prices reflect structure not relevance, and leasing, policy shifts and broadband funding will keep the ageing protocol strategically important for years ahead.
Universities sit on vast reserves of IPv4 addresses -- a legacy from the early internet. Instead of one-off sales, leasing these assets could generate sustainable revenues while preserving long-term digital infrastructure and institutional flexibility.
IPv4 leasing divides opinion as concerns over abuse, sustainability, and obsolescence persist. A recent IPXO webinar examined the evidence, challenging myths and advocating for transparency, flexibility, and cooperation in a shifting internet landscape.
Outdated policies at Regional Internet Registries hinder the efficient transfer and leasing of IP addresses, driving up internet costs in emerging markets and limiting innovation. A faster, more inclusive governance model is urgently needed.
The Internet has evolved from a scarcity-driven system into one defined by abundance, reshaping infrastructure, governance, and economic models while challenging long-held assumptions about addressing, network roles, and the future of protocol design.
With IPv4 addresses fetching up to $30 apiece and IPv6 adoption lagging, companies may be sitting on hidden digital assets. A strategic audit could unlock unexpected revenue and enhance long-term infrastructure planning.
Diverging policies and fee structures among Regional Internet Registries are reshaping the global IPv4 market. RIPE has emerged as a liquidity hub, while others leak resources, risking long-term instability and financial fragility.
Through 2024, IPv4 leasing stayed steady at about $0.50 per IP per month, even as purchase prices diverged by block size. Large blocks (like /16) corrected notably while smaller blocks (/20 - /24) remained comparatively firm. That spread reflected shifting enterprise behavior (more surgical allocations, less speculative buying) and the resilience of subscription-like leasing in unstable conditions.
Between 2021 and 2023, the IPv4 market was a roller coaster ride - prices shot up in 2021, peaked in 2022, and plummeted in 2023. Those who expected a recovery in 2024 were sadly disappointed. Prices for IP addresses continued to decline, leveling out during the second half of the year. And yet, market activity remained remarkably unaffected - a sign, perhaps, that the market is settling into a new normal.
Cogent (CCOI) recently announced that it was offering secured notes for $206M. The unusual part is what it’s using as security: some of its IPv4 addresses and the leases on those IPv4 addresses... Cogent has been leasing out addresses for several years. All internet service providers (ISPs) give IP addresses to their users, but Cogent was among the first to lease those addresses independently of internet access.
In 2021, the story was price. In 2022, the story was price and large block supply. The story in 2023 is decline -- but with a notable caveat. Spurred by unprecedented unit pricing, the North American IPv4 market in 2022 experienced its second-best year in terms of overall traded volume, and in both 2022 and in 2023, large block market activity was as robust as ever, with sellers trading large blocks at over $50 per number.
The IPv4 market has created serious interest in the protocol far beyond the natural confines of networking professionals. These assets are worth a lot. Marketplaces, IPv4.Global's especially, have grown to be large centers of asset transfer by buyers and sellers of IPv4 addresses. IPv4.Global has helped transfer over $1 billion in IPv4 blocks.
An IPv4 address identifies your connection to the online world. IP addresses make it possible to host websites, manage secure communication, and engage in countless other essential, internet-related activities. Typically, when migrating to a new cloud provider, a business has only one path: lease the provider's IP addresses. But what if a business already has a block of IP addresses?
In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, the value of IP addresses has surged to the forefront of discussions. Over a month ago, Amazon Web Services (AWS) made a pivotal announcement, reshaping the IP address pricing landscape. Citing the escalating costs of acquiring IP addresses on secondary markets, AWS declared a fundamental shift in its pricing strategy, set to take effect on February 1, 2024.
In early 2022 the discount that had been available for large blocks of IPv4 addresses disappeared. For the first time in years, /16 blocks and larger began to sell at an increasing premium. By Q2-2023, small and medium-sized blocks sold for a 30-35% discount to larger ones. At the same time, the tighter range of prices that had persisted for nearly a decade fractured and blocks traded in wide ranges throughout 2022 and the first half of 2023.
IPv6 Transition Stalls as Internet Moves Beyond IP Addresses
Close to 735K Fraudulently Obtained IP Addresses Have Been Uncovered and Revoked, ARIN RevealsIn 2025, IPv4 address prices declined to decade lows, but market activity remained strong. Rising buyer participation and steady transaction volume signaled a resilient, well-functioning market entering 2026 with confidence. more
Despite falling IPv4 address prices throughout 2025, transaction volume and buyer activity remained strong. Expanding demand, growing liquidity, and healthy fundamentals suggest a stable, functioning market heading into 2026. more
IPv4 address prices continued their gradual decline in November, with small and medium blocks narrowing the gap with large blocks. Despite falling prices, transaction volume and buyer demand remain strong heading into 2026. more
IPv4 address prices continued to decline through Q3 2025, yet steady demand and strong supply are keeping the market active. Smaller blocks remain more resilient as larger allocations face sharper pricing pressure. more
IPv4.Global, part of Hilco Global's Capital Solutions division, today announced the relaunch of ProVision, the advanced network automation platform trusted by enterprises and service providers to simplify and scale critical infrastructure management. more
The IPv4 market continues to demonstrate healthy activity as August figures point to sustained transaction volume and steady pricing across most block sizes. Buyers and sellers alike remain engaged, with pricing dynamics showing signs of alignment across the spectrum. more
The market for IPv4 addresses, already constrained by finite supply is undergoing a period of subtle yet significant transition. Data from IPv4.Global's July 2025 report reveals a continuing decline in average prices per address - particularly among larger blocks - even as transaction volume sees a notable surge. more