DEV Community: Mustafa Enes Akdeniz

IPv4 Market in 2026: A Technical Deep Dive into Pricing, Transfers, and What Engineers Should Know

Mustafa Enes Akdeniz — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:02:02 +0000

If you manage infrastructure, deploy services, or work with cloud providers, IPv4 pricing directly affects your budget. Here's a data-driven breakdown of where the market stands in mid-2026, based on IPv4Center.com's market reports.

The TL;DR

Average IPv4 price: ~$19.57/IP (May 2026)
Down 32-40% year-over-year
A /24 block (256 IPs) costs $5,000-$11,500 to buy, or $97-128/month to lease
Prices are expected to decline further to $16-18/IP by year-end
RIPE (Europe) blocks cost $2-3 more per IP than ARIN (North America)

Why Prices Are Falling

The single biggest factor: AWS started charging $0.005/hour per public IPv4 address in February 2024.

This had cascading effects:

Cloud customers optimized their IP usage, returning unused Elastic IPs
The freed-up addresses flowed back into the secondary market
Other hyperscalers (Microsoft, Google) hold 100M+ addresses collectively and are becoming net sellers
Supply increased while demand shifted to leasing over buying

Price by Block Size — What You'll Actually Pay

Block    IPs      Buy (per IP)    Lease (per IP/month)
/24      256      $35-45          $0.38-0.50
/23      512      $19-25          $0.35-0.45
/22      1,024    $28-38          $0.33-0.45
/20      4,096    $22-32          $0.30-0.40
/18      16,384   $20-30          $0.30-0.38
/16      65,536   $18-28          $0.30-0.35

The small block premium is significant. A /24 costs 2-3x per IP compared to a /16. If you need exactly 256 IPs, you're paying a premium for the convenience.

RIR Regional Pricing

Not all IPv4 addresses are priced equally. Where they're registered matters:

RIR       Region              Avg $/IP    Transfer Ease
RIPE NCC  Europe/Middle East  $19-21      Easy (no justification needed)
ARIN      North America       $16-19      Moderate (needs-based justification)
APNIC     Asia-Pacific        $17-25      Moderate (varies by economy)
LACNIC    Latin America       $21-26      Difficult (limited transfers)
AFRINIC   Africa              N/A         Very limited (intra-RIR only)

Why RIPE costs more: RIPE NCC has a 24-month holding rule — you can't re-transfer a block for 2 years after acquisition. This limits short-term speculation but also constrains supply, keeping prices higher.

Why ARIN is cheapest for big blocks: No holding restriction + large block liquidations from US-based companies = more supply and lower unit prices.

Buy vs. Lease: The Engineering Budget Decision

Here's a simple framework:

/24 purchase price:  ~$5,000
/24 monthly lease:   ~$150
Payback period:      33 months (2.75 years)

Decision:
  Usage < 2 years  → LEASE
  Usage 2-3 years  → DEPENDS (prices are falling)
  Usage > 3 years  → BUY

For dev/staging environments: lease. You'll probably tear them down.
For production infrastructure: buy if the addresses will be in use for 3+ years.
For short-term projects: definitely lease.

Transfer Process: What Actually Happens

When you buy IPv4 blocks, here's the typical workflow:

Due diligence — Blacklist check (300+ databases), BGP history review, WHOIS verification
Agreement — Transfer contract between buyer and seller
Payment — Typically via escrow (Escrow.com is common for IPv4 deals)
RIR submission — Both parties submit transfer request to the RIR
RIR approval — RIPE: 1-2 weeks, ARIN: 2-4 weeks (needs justification), APNIC: 2-3 weeks
WHOIS update — Block registration updated to buyer
ROA/LOA — Route Origin Authorization created, Letter of Authorization for routing

Total timeline: 2-6 weeks depending on the RIR.

What's Driving Demand in 2026

Three major forces:

1. AI Infrastructure

AI training clusters and inference endpoints need public IPv4 addresses. Every GPU cluster with external API access needs routable addresses. But most of this demand is served through hyperscaler cloud pools, so the secondary market impact is indirect.

2. US BEAD Broadband Program

The $42.45B federal program is funding hundreds of new rural ISPs. Each needs /22 to /18 blocks. This demand wave hits in H2 2026 through 2027.

3. Continued IPv4/IPv6 Dual-Stack Reality

Global IPv6 adoption is ~45% (Google's measurement). But enterprise networks, legacy systems, and many hosting configurations still require IPv4. Full transition is 5-10+ years away.

Historical Context

Year      Avg $/IP    What Happened
2011      $7-12       IANA free pool exhausted
2012      $8-12       RIPE hit last /8
2015      $8-15       ARIN free pool exhausted
2019      $18-24      RIPE free pool exhausted
2021-22   $50-60+     Peak (pandemic + hyperscaler hoarding)
2024      $35-52      AWS pricing trigger, correction begins
2025      $23-33      Continued decline
2026      $18-20      Current levels (2019-2020 range)

RIR Transfer Statistics

From IPv4Center.com's tracking data:

33,702 total RIR transfers recorded over 41 months
RIPE: 60% of all transfers
ARIN: 40% of all transfers
Peak month: December 2024 (AWS effect wave)
APNIC/LACNIC/AFRINIC: negligible transfer volumes

Key Takeaways for Engineers

IPv4 is cheaper than it's been since 2019. If you've been putting off acquiring addresses, now is a reasonable entry point.
Lease for flexibility, buy for long-term. The 33-month payback makes buying a clear win for permanent infrastructure.
Check block reputation before acquiring. Blacklisted IPs cause deliverability and connectivity issues. Always verify against multiple blacklist databases.
ARIN offers the best value for large blocks. If you can justify the need, ARIN blocks at $16-18/IP are significantly cheaper than RIPE.
IPv6 migration doesn't eliminate IPv4 need. Plan for dual-stack for at least the next 5-7 years.

Resources

IPv4 Market Reports — Monthly, quarterly, and annual market data
IPv4 Price Calculator — Estimate costs by block size and region
IP Blacklist Checker — Free tool, 300+ databases
BGP Lookup — Check routing status and visibility
Subnet Calculator — CIDR math made easy

Data source: IPv4Center.com marketplace transactions and RIR transfer statistics (Jan-May 2026). Full methodology available in the individual reports.

Is Your IP Blacklisted? Here's How to Get Removed

Mustafa Enes Akdeniz — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:34:36 +0000

Is Your IP Blacklisted? Here's How to Get Removed

One of the most frustrating problems for server owners is discovering that an IP address has been blacklisted.

Sometimes the first sign is emails suddenly bouncing. Other times, outgoing mail starts landing in spam folders, or certain services begin rejecting connections altogether.

The good news is that being listed on a blacklist doesn't necessarily mean the IP is permanently damaged. Most blacklist operators provide a removal process once the underlying issue has been resolved.

The first step is identifying exactly where the IP is listed.

Different blacklist providers have different policies, different removal procedures, and different reasons for listing an address in the first place.

Some of the most commonly encountered blacklists include:

Spamhaus
Barracuda
SORBS
SpamCop
CBL
UCEProtect

In some cases, delisting is automatic once the issue is resolved. For example, malware-related listings often disappear automatically after the infected host has been cleaned up.

Other providers require a manual removal request explaining:

Why the IP was listed
What caused the issue
What actions were taken to fix it
How future incidents will be prevented

One mistake I see frequently is people requesting delisting before actually fixing the root cause. That almost always results in the IP being listed again shortly afterward.

Before requesting removal, it's worth checking for common causes such as:

Compromised email accounts
Malware infections
Open SMTP relays
Poor email practices
Spam complaints
Misconfigured mail servers

The challenge is that every blacklist handles these situations differently.

Rather than trying to memorize hundreds of individual policies, it's usually easier to identify where your IP is listed first and then follow the specific removal process for those lists.

I've put together a complete guide covering the major blacklist providers, their delisting procedures, common causes of listings, and the steps required to get removed.

The guide also explains how to check an IP against more than 300 blacklist databases before starting the removal process.

Full guide:

English version:
https://ipv4center.com/blog/how-to-get-delisted-ip-blacklists-removal-guide
Turkish version:
https://ipv4center.com/tr/blog/ip-blacklistten-nasil-cikilir-rehber

The article includes:

Spamhaus removal procedures
Barracuda delisting
SORBS removal requests
CBL cleanup process
SpamCop listings
UCEProtect levels explained
Common blacklist causes
Ongoing blacklist monitoring recommendations

If you've ever had mail delivery problems, checking your IP reputation is usually one of the first places worth looking.

How to Create an APNIC Membership for IPv4 Transfers

Mustafa Enes Akdeniz — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:30:00 +0000

How to Create an APNIC Membership for IPv4 Transfers

If you're planning to buy IPv4 addresses in the Asia-Pacific region, one of the first things you'll need is an APNIC membership.

At first glance, the process looks straightforward, but many applicants underestimate the amount of documentation APNIC may request during the review stage. Most delays happen not because of technical issues, but because required documents weren't prepared in advance.

Before starting the application, it's also worth checking whether your country is handled directly by APNIC or by a National Internet Registry (NIR). Countries such as Japan, India, China, Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Vietnam have their own NIR systems and may follow slightly different procedures.

The application process itself can be broken down into a few main steps.

1. Create a MyAPNIC Account

The first step is creating a MyAPNIC login account and verifying your email address.

This account will be used to manage your membership, resources, transfer requests, and billing information later on.

2. Submit Your Membership Application

The membership application is where most of the work happens.

APNIC will typically ask for:

Company registration documents
Identification documents for contact persons
Proof that the company operates within the APNIC region
Authorization documents showing you're allowed to act on behalf of the company
Information about current IPv4 usage and future requirements

The application contains several sections for contacts, organization details, billing information, and resource requests. Some fields may appear repetitive, but APNIC uses them for different purposes during the review process.

3. Select Resources Carefully

One detail that catches many applicants by surprise is the resource selection step.

During the application, APNIC asks what resources you intend to hold. The choices you make can affect membership and resource fees, so it's worth reviewing the fee schedule before submitting the application.

4. Upload Supporting Documents

Before submitting the application, you'll be asked to upload the documents prepared earlier.

In most cases, applications are reviewed within a few business days, although additional information may sometimes be requested.

5. Request IPv4 Transfer Pre-Approval

If your goal is to purchase IPv4 addresses, you'll usually want to obtain transfer pre-approval as well.

This process involves explaining why your organization requires additional IPv4 space and providing supporting documentation regarding current utilization and future growth.

The summary above covers the general workflow, but some parts are much easier to understand with screenshots than with text alone.

I've put together a complete guide showing every step of the application process, including the forms, required documents, resource selection screens, and transfer pre-approval process.

Full guide with screenshots:

👉 https://ipv4center.com/blog/how-to-create-apnic-membership-lir-account

If you're opening your first APNIC membership for IPv4 transfers, the screenshots will help you avoid the most common mistakes and make the process significantly easier.

Legacy vs Provider Independent(PI) vs Provider Aggregatable(PA) IPv4 Addresses: What's the Difference?

Mustafa Enes Akdeniz — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 15:08:50 +0000

Legacy vs PI vs PA IPv4 Addresses: What's the Difference?

If you're buying IPv4 addresses in the RIPE region, you'll eventually come across three different resource types:

Legacy
Allocated PI (Provider Independent)
Allocated PA (Provider Aggregatable)

At first glance they all look the same.

An IPv4 address is an IPv4 address, right?

Not exactly.

The status of the address block can affect:

Whether you need a RIPE membership
Annual maintenance costs
Whether the block can be transferred again
RPKI availability
How attractive the block is to future buyers

I've seen buyers pay a premium for Legacy space without understanding why, and I've seen others accidentally buy PI space without realizing there would be ongoing sponsor fees.

Understanding the differences before purchasing can save a lot of money and frustration later.

Legacy IPv4 Addresses

Legacy resources are generally the most flexible IPv4 blocks available in the RIPE region.

The biggest advantage is simple:

There is no 24-month transfer restriction.

If a Legacy block is transferred to you today, it can be transferred again immediately.

Legacy resources can also be held without becoming a RIPE NCC member, making them popular with:

Investors
Companies that don't operate an LIR
Organizations that value flexibility

Because of these advantages, Legacy IPv4 blocks often sell at a premium compared to equivalent PI or PA resources.

Allocated PA Addresses

Allocated PA (Provider Aggregatable) resources are the standard address blocks held by RIPE members.

To receive and hold PA space, you must have a RIPE NCC membership (LIR).

The main advantage is cost efficiency.

If you already operate an LIR, there are typically no separate annual resource fees for PA space beyond your membership costs.

The downside is the transfer restriction.

Transferred PA resources cannot be transferred again for 24 months.

Allocated PI Addresses

PI (Provider Independent) resources sit somewhere between Legacy and PA.

You don't need your own RIPE membership to hold them.

Instead, a Sponsoring LIR maintains the administrative relationship with RIPE on your behalf.

This makes PI resources attractive for organizations that:

Need provider-independent space
Don't want to operate an LIR
Need address space transferred into the RIPE region

The tradeoff is ongoing sponsor costs and the same 24-month transfer restriction that applies to PA resources.

The Most Common Misunderstandings

A few misconceptions appear over and over again in IPv4 transactions:

"Legacy resources can't use RPKI"

Incorrect.

Legacy resource holders can use RPKI after signing the RIPE RPKI Agreement.

"All transferred IPv4 blocks have a 24-month transfer ban"

Incorrect.

Legacy resources can generally be transferred again immediately.

"You need a RIPE membership to own IPv4 addresses"

Not always.

Both Legacy and PI resources can be held without operating your own LIR.

"PI and PA cost the same"

Not necessarily.

PA resources are typically covered by your RIPE membership, while PI resources usually involve annual sponsoring fees.

Which One Should You Choose?

In simple terms:

Choose Legacy if:

You want maximum flexibility
You may resell the block later
You want the lowest ongoing RIPE costs

Choose PA if:

You already operate a RIPE LIR
You don't plan to transfer the block again soon
You want to avoid sponsor fees

Choose PI if:

You don't want a RIPE membership
You need provider-independent space
You're comfortable working with a Sponsoring LIR

Final Thoughts

The status of an IPv4 block can be just as important as the size of the block itself.

Two identical /24s may have very different values depending on whether they're Legacy, PI, or PA resources.

Before purchasing IPv4 space, make sure you understand the operational and financial implications of each resource type.

For a full breakdown of transfer restrictions, RIPE fees, RPKI support, inter-RIR transfers, and real-world examples:

👉 https://ipv4center.com/blog/legacy-vs-allocated-pi-vs-allocated-pa-ipv4-subnets-complete-guide

How to Create an ARIN Account and Become an ARIN Member

Mustafa Enes Akdeniz — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:22:29 +0000

How to Create an ARIN Account for IPv4 Transfers

If you're planning to buy IPv4 addresses in the ARIN region, one of the first things you'll need is an ARIN organization account.

I've noticed that many first-time buyers focus on finding IPv4 blocks before they've completed the ARIN setup process. Unfortunately, that usually leads to delays later when it's time to receive the transfer.

The good news is that creating an ARIN account isn't particularly difficult once you understand the steps involved.

At a high level, the process looks like this:

1. Create Your ARIN Online Account

The process starts by creating an ARIN Online account using your email address. After registration, you'll need to verify your email before gaining access to the account dashboard.

2. Create Your Point of Contact (POC) Records

ARIN uses Point of Contact records to identify who is responsible for different aspects of your organization.

Most companies create separate contacts for:

Administrative matters
Technical matters
Abuse reports

Although smaller organizations often use the same person for all three roles.

3. Create Your Organization (Org ID)

After creating your POCs, you'll create an Organization Identifier (Org ID).

This is the organization that will ultimately hold your IPv4 resources and be referenced during transfer requests.

During this step, ARIN will ask for company information and supporting documentation proving the company exists and that you're authorized to act on its behalf.

4. Request Transfer Pre-Approval

This is one of the most overlooked parts of the process.

ARIN generally requires organizations to demonstrate a legitimate need for IPv4 resources before approving transfers. This usually involves explaining current utilization and future requirements.

If approved, you'll receive a pre-approval ticket that can later be used when purchasing IPv4 space.

5. Sign Agreements and Complete Payment

Once everything has been reviewed and approved, ARIN will require the appropriate agreements to be signed and any applicable fees to be paid before resources can be transferred.

The overview above covers the general process, but there are quite a few details that are easier to understand with screenshots than text alone.

I've put together a complete step-by-step guide showing every screen, every form, and the documents typically required during registration.

Full guide with screenshots:

👉 https://ipv4center.com/blog/how-to-create-arin-membership-lir-account

If you're setting up your first ARIN account for an IPv4 purchase or transfer, the screenshots will probably save you a fair amount of trial and error.

How to Create a RIPE Membership (LIR) Account in 2026

Mustafa Enes Akdeniz — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:20:44 +0000

How to Create a RIPE Membership (LIR) Account in 2026

If you're planning to buy IPv4 addresses, receive IP transfers, announce your own network, or simply operate under RIPE directly, you'll eventually need your own LIR account.

A surprising number of people think creating a RIPE membership is complicated, expensive, or requires already owning IP addresses. In reality, the process is fairly straightforward once you understand the requirements.

At a high level, the process usually looks like this:

Create a RIPE NCC Access account.
Submit a new LIR application.
Enter your company information and contact details.
Complete identity and company verification.
Sign the required agreements.
Pay the RIPE membership fees.
Wait for approval from the RIPE NCC team.

The part that tends to confuse people isn't the application itself — it's understanding what information RIPE expects, how to fill certain sections correctly, and what documents are required during verification.

I've noticed many new companies get stuck during the verification phase simply because they upload incomplete documents or misunderstand some of the membership questions.

To make the process easier, I prepared a step-by-step guide showing the entire registration flow, including screenshots of every stage.

Instead of only explaining it with text, the guide includes visual examples so you can follow the process screen by screen.

Full guide with screenshots:

👉 https://ipv4center.com/blog/how-to-create-ripe-membership-lir-account

The article covers:

RIPE NCC Access account creation
Opening a new LIR
Required company documents
Verification process
Membership fees
Common mistakes during registration
What happens after approval

If you're opening your first RIPE membership, the screenshots will probably save you quite a bit of time.

Will Buying IPv4 Remove You From The RIPE Waiting List?

Mustafa Enes Akdeniz — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:16:57 +0000

Will Buying IPv4 Remove You From The RIPE Waiting List?

I've been asked this question quite a few times recently:

"If I buy IPv4 addresses now, will RIPE remove me from the waiting list?"

The confusion is understandable. A lot of people assume that once an organization acquires IPv4 space through the transfer market, it automatically becomes ineligible for a future allocation from the RIPE waiting list.

In practice, it's not that simple.

The RIPE waiting list was designed to distribute recovered IPv4 space, but the allocation available today is only a single /24 (256 IPv4 addresses). For some organizations that's enough, but for hosting providers, ISPs, cloud companies, VPN operators, and larger networks, 256 addresses often don't go very far.

That's why many companies don't view the waiting list and the transfer market as alternatives. They use both.

A business may join the waiting list to secure any future allocation it becomes eligible for, while at the same time purchasing or leasing IPv4 addresses to cover current operational needs. This is especially common for companies that are actively growing and can't afford to wait years for additional address space.

Another detail that often catches buyers by surprise is RIPE's 24-month transfer restriction. If you're considering acquiring IPv4 resources, it's worth understanding how that rule can affect future transfers and long-term planning.

I've put together a more detailed explanation covering the most common questions we receive from buyers, including waiting list eligibility, transfer policies, and the reasons many organizations choose to buy IPv4 while remaining on the waiting list.

Full article:

👉 https://ipv4center.com/blog/buying-ipv4-affect-ripe-waiting-list

If you've gone through this process yourself, I'd be curious to hear how your organization approached it.