The story you’ve probably heard is that IPv4 is dying and IPv6 is taking over. The reality on the ground is more complicated, especially as AI workloads, edge computing, and large-scale data operations push demand for reliable IP infrastructure to new highs.
Most enterprise networks still depend on IPv4 for compatibility, peering arrangements, and customer-facing services. That dependence isn’t going away in 2026, and the limited supply of available IPv4 addresses has created a market that quietly underpins much of the modern internet.
Here’s a closer look at why IPv4 remains so important and what businesses building AI and cloud infrastructure need to understand about acquiring and managing it.
Key Takeaway
IPv4 addresses remain essential infrastructure for AI companies, cloud providers, and anyone running customer-facing services in 2026. The exhaustion of free pools across all five Regional Internet Registries has created an active secondary market where addresses are bought, sold, and leased. Working with an established IPv4 broker matters far more than people expect, given the technical, legal, and reputational risks involved in acquiring blocks the wrong way.
Why IPv4 Hasn’t Gone Away
The original plan was straightforward. IPv6 was supposed to gradually replace IPv4 once exhaustion hit, and the internet would migrate to a much larger address space.
That migration has happened, but only partially. Adoption rates for IPv6 vary dramatically by region and industry, and even networks that fully support IPv6 typically run dual-stack configurations that still need IPv4.
Customer compatibility is the main reason. Plenty of legacy systems, embedded devices, and end-user networks still rely on IPv4-only connectivity, and businesses serving those users can’t simply switch off support.
How AI Workloads Have Increased Demand
Artificial intelligence has changed the IP address calculus in ways most people don’t realise. Large model training, distributed inference, and data pipeline operations all generate substantial network traffic that needs to be properly addressed.
Web scraping for training datasets is one of the most visible examples. Large-scale data collection requires diverse IP ranges to avoid rate limiting, manage geographic targeting, and maintain consistent access to public web sources.
Inference serving has also driven demand. Companies running AI APIs at scale need clean, well-reputed IP blocks to ensure their endpoints aren’t blocked or throttled by upstream networks.
The Secondary Market for IPv4
With the free pools exhausted, the only real way for most organisations to acquire new IPv4 space is through the secondary market. Blocks change hands constantly, with prices set by supply, demand, and the size of the block in question.
Smaller blocks, like /24s, tend to trade at higher per-address prices than large blocks, simply because demand from smaller buyers is broader. Large /16 blocks attract serious enterprise buyers and major cloud providers.
For organisations looking to Buy IPv4 addresses cleanly and efficiently, working through an established broker rather than direct negotiation usually delivers better outcomes. Brokers handle pricing, due diligence, RIR transfer paperwork, and reputation checks that most internal teams aren’t equipped to manage.
The reputation piece is especially important. An IP block with a history of spam, abuse, or policy violations can take months of remediation work before it becomes usable for production traffic.
Leasing as an Alternative
Not every business wants to buy IPv4 outright. Lease arrangements have become a common middle ground, particularly for companies with project-based or seasonal demand.
Leasing offers flexibility and lower upfront costs. The trade-off is that leased addresses don’t appreciate in value, and long-term leases can end up costing more than buying outright.
For AI startups scaling rapidly, the right answer often depends on funding stage. Early-stage companies often lease to preserve runway, while better-funded operations buy to lock in long-term costs.
[Image suggestion: A close-up of a network engineer’s workstation with multiple monitors showing IP routing tables, BGP configurations, and traffic analytics dashboards. Alt text: Network engineer reviewing IP routing configurations and traffic analytics across multiple monitors]
What to Look For in a Broker
Not all IPv4 brokers operate at the same standard. The market has matured considerably, but it still attracts intermediaries with limited technical depth or transparency around pricing.
Look for brokers registered with the relevant Regional Internet Registries, such as ARIN, RIPE NCC, APNIC, AFRINIC, and LACNIC. Registration signals that the broker understands the policy framework and follows the proper transfer procedures.
Reputation tracking is another differentiator. Good brokers run blocks through abuse databases, blacklist checks, and routing history reviews before quoting them. Skipping that step can leave buyers with addresses that look fine on paper but fail the moment they’re announced.
For teams trying to figure out where IP infrastructure fits within a broader stack, this overview of AI infrastructure trends is worth reviewing alongside the procurement decision.
Compliance and Legal Considerations
IP transfers aren’t just commercial transactions. Each Regional Internet Registry has specific policies about who can hold space, how transfers are documented, and what justification is required.
ARIN, for example, requires technical documentation showing the buyer’s actual need for the addresses being purchased. RIPE NCC has different policies around inter-RIR transfers and member status.
Getting this wrong can stall a transfer for weeks or, in some cases, void it entirely. A competent broker handles all of this in the background, leaving the buyer free to focus on integration rather than paperwork.
Legal review on the contract side also matters. Indemnities around prior use, warranty around the seller’s title to the addresses, and clear terms around transfer timelines all protect the buyer from surprises post-completion.
Looking Ahead
IPv6 adoption will continue to grow, particularly as mobile networks, content delivery networks, and major cloud platforms keep pushing dual-stack support deeper into their infrastructure. The transition is real, just slower than originally projected.
For the foreseeable future, IPv4 will remain a dual-purpose asset. It’s both an operational requirement for serving today’s traffic and an appreciating asset for organisations that hold significant blocks.
Final Thoughts
The IPv4 market has matured into a serious infrastructure category that AI companies, hosting providers, and enterprises ignore at their peril. Demand is growing, supply is fixed, and the stakes around getting acquisitions right are higher than they’ve ever been.
The organisations that handle this well treat IP procurement with the same seriousness as any other strategic infrastructure investment. The ones who treat it as an afterthought tend to learn expensive lessons.
FAQ
Is IPv4 actually running out? Yes. All five Regional Internet Registries have exhausted their free pools, meaning new addresses can only be acquired through transfers on the secondary market or through limited reserved pools for specific use cases.
How much do IPv4 addresses cost in 2026? Prices vary by block size and region but typically range between $35 and $55 per address for /24 blocks. Larger blocks generally trade at slightly lower per-address rates, though specific pricing depends on demand and broker margins.
Why not just switch to IPv6? Most networks already support IPv6 in parallel with IPv4, but customer compatibility, legacy infrastructure, and peering arrangements still require IPv4 connectivity. A complete IPv6-only deployment isn’t yet practical for most public-facing services.
What’s the difference between buying and leasing IPv4? Buying transfers full ownership of the addresses, recorded with the relevant Regional Internet Registry. Leasing grants usage rights for a fixed term without transferring ownership, which means lower upfront cost but no asset value at the end of the term.
How long does an IPv4 transfer typically take? Most transfers complete within 2 to 6 weeks depending on the RIR involved, the size of the block, and the completeness of the documentation. Inter-RIR transfers tend to take longer than transfers within the same registry.
