IPv4 Market Report 2026
Market Size, Pricing Data & Industry Trends
Last updated: March 2026 | Source: ipv4.center Marketplace Data
Executive Summary
The global IPv4 address market continues to grow as IPv4 exhaustion drives organizations to the secondary market. According to ipv4.center market data, the average IPv4 address price in 2026 is approximately $25 per IP, with /24 blocks trading between $6,400 and $9,000. The RIPE NCC region remains the most active transfer market, followed by ARIN and APNIC.
Key Market Statistics
Overview of the global IPv4 address market as of Q1 2026
IPv4 Pricing by Block Size
Average transaction prices across all RIR regions
| Block | IPs | Avg Price | Per IP | Change vs 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| /24 | 256 | $7,700 | $30 | +3% |
| /23 | 512 | $15,400 | $30 | +2% |
| /22 | 1,024 | $30,700 | $30 | +4% |
| /21 | 2,048 | $61,400 | $30 | +1% |
| /20 | 4,096 | $108,500 | $26.50 | +2% |
| /19 | 8,192 | $217,000 | $26.50 | +3% |
| /18 | 16,384 | $385,000 | $23.50 | +1% |
| /17 | 32,768 | $770,000 | $23.50 | +2% |
| /16 | 65,536 | $1,310,000 | $20 | +1% |
| Source: ipv4.center Marketplace Data, Q1 2026 | ||||
Pricing by RIR Region
Average per-IP pricing and transfer activity across all five Regional Internet Registries
| Region | Avg $/IP | Transfer Volume | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| RIPE NCC | $30 | High | Stable |
| ARIN | $29 | High | +5% |
| APNIC | $29 | Medium | +3% |
| LACNIC | $26 | Low | Stable |
| AFRINIC | $22.50 | Low | +2% |
Market Trends for 2026
Key forces shaping the IPv4 address market this year
IPv4 Exhaustion Deepens
With all five RIRs having exhausted their free pools, the secondary market is now the only source for IPv4 addresses. This structural scarcity continues to support pricing.
IPv6 Adoption: Progress but Still Slow
While IPv6 adoption has reached approximately 40% globally, dual-stack requirements mean organizations still need IPv4 addresses for legacy compatibility and certain services.
Growing Demand from Cloud & Hosting
Cloud service providers, hosting companies, and CDN operators are the fastest-growing buyers. AI infrastructure deployments are adding new demand pressure.
Regulatory and Compliance Changes
Increased scrutiny of IP address ownership, transfer documentation requirements, and anti-abuse measures are shaping how addresses change hands across registries.
IPv4 Exhaustion Timeline
When each Regional Internet Registry exhausted its free pool of IPv4 addresses
First RIR to exhaust its free pool of IPv4 addresses
Reached last /8 block, began rationing final allocations
Exhausted free pool, moved to waiting list allocation
Depleted free pool entirely, no new allocations available
Last RIR to reach IPv4 free pool exhaustion
Methodology
This report is based on aggregated marketplace data from ipv4.center transactions, supplemented by publicly available RIR transfer statistics and industry sources. Pricing data reflects actual completed transactions on the ipv4.center platform across all five RIR regions.
Transfer volume estimates are derived from public RIR transfer logs, RIPE NCC statistics, ARIN transfer reports, and APNIC transfer data. Market size estimates incorporate both direct sales and lease transactions observed across the broader IPv4 secondary market.
Data period: January 2024 – March 2026. Prices are quoted in USD. Regional pricing differences reflect local supply-demand dynamics and transfer complexity.