A CTO I know spent three months on ARIN’s IPv4 waiting list and got a /24 that could not cover even half of her planned rollout.
A competitor used a broker, closed a transfer in two weeks, and had clean, routable space live before the month ended.
That gap shows why buying with a plan beats waiting without one.
IANA allocated the last unassigned IPv4 blocks to the five Regional Internet Registries on February 3, 2011. ARIN’s free pool ran out by September 2015, and RIPE NCC exhausted its pool in November 2019. IPv4 still carries most public traffic, from APIs to email infrastructure.
Google’s measurement of users reaching its services over IPv6 briefly passed 50% in March 2026, but adoption is uneven by region and network. Dual-stack, which means running IPv4 and IPv6 together, is still the normal operating model.
AWS began charging $0.005 per public IPv4 address per hour on February 1, 2024, which pushed cloud operating costs higher, particularly for large-scale deployments. For growing networks, ownership is strategic again.
A careful purchase can shorten deployment time, reduce recurring spend, and give your team direct control over routing and reputation.
Key Takeaways
- Scarcity makes IPv4 procurement a business decision, not just a network task.
- Get pre-approved when policy allows. ARIN and APNIC can review a 24-month need before you shop, which shortens closing time.
- Buy only what the internet can route. A /24 is the practical floor for global reachability because longer prefixes are widely filtered.
- Check lineage, abuse history, and route history. A cheap block with bad reputation can cost more to clean than to replace.
- Use escrow tied to the registry update. Funds should release only after the RIR record shows you as the new holder.
- Harden the block on day one. Publish route authorizations, routing registry entries, reverse DNS, and a geofeed before you announce.
- Compare ownership with leasing and cloud fees. Amortize the purchase price over your hold period and include resale value.
What Exactly Is an IPv4 Transfer?
An IPv4 transfer changes the official registry record so your organization can hold and route the block lawfully.
A transfer updates the authoritative Regional Internet Registry, or RIR, record so you can originate and route a prefix. You are not buying the internet itself. You are taking legal control of a scarce number resource.
Figure 1: IPv4 Transfer Process Flow
The transfer process involves these key steps:
- Seller and buyer agree on terms and price
- Registry diligence: Review of lineage, routing history, and compliance
- Escrow placement: Funds held by neutral third party
- RIR submission: Transfer request filed with appropriate registry
- Registry approval: Analyst review and policy verification
- WHOIS update: Registry record changes to buyer’s organization
- Escrow release: Funds transferred upon WHOIS confirmation
- Post-transfer hardening: Security and routing setup
Transfers come in two forms. Intra-RIR transfers stay within one registry. Inter-RIR transfers move space across registries, such as from RIPE NCC to ARIN, and usually take longer because two policy teams must review the deal.
Under ARIN policy, the minimum transfer size is a /24, and recipients must justify up to 24 months of need. In real-world routing, a /24 is also the practical floor. Border Gateway Protocol, or BGP, filters at large networks commonly reject anything longer than /24, so a cheaper /25 can be useless on the public internet.
Typical parties include the seller, the buyer, a broker or marketplace, an escrow agent, and RIR analysts. Common paperwork includes a Letter of Authorization, or LOA, a purchase agreement, an officer acknowledgement for ARIN deals, and updated Registration Services Agreement or Standard Service Agreement records where required.
3 Strategic Benefits of Owning IPv4
Owning IPv4 gives you more control over cost, routing, and operations than short-term access models do. It is not the right move for every team, but it pays off when your public addressing need is stable and lasts for years.
1. Deliverability and Reputation Control
Owned space lets you control reverse DNS, sender setup, and IP warm-up without sharing reputation with unknown tenants. That matters for mail, API endpoints, and any service where abuse flags can interrupt revenue.
2. Platform Independence
Owned addresses can move with you across clouds, colocation sites, and upstream providers. That reduces renumbering work, cuts migration risk, and makes vendor changes less painful.
3. Asset Value and Optionality
IPv4 space still has resale value. If your footprint changes after an acquisition, a product shutdown, or a larger IPv6 rollout, you can recover part of the capital instead of writing the spend off completely.
What to Prepare Before You Buy
Good preparation removes the delays that usually appear after legal review or RIR submission.
Start by sizing demand with real use cases. Count mail servers, public APIs, VPN endpoints, and anycast services, where one IP is announced from multiple sites. Then find the smallest workable block, keeping in mind that /24 is the lowest practical size for global reachability.
Line up internal approval early. Legal should treat the purchase as an asset transfer. Finance should budget for the block, broker fees, escrow, and annual registry costs. Security should be ready to publish routing and DNS records as soon as the transfer closes.
Make sure your RIR account is current, with valid admin and technical contacts and the right service agreement in place. If you are working with ARIN or APNIC, seek pre-approval before shopping. That step can save weeks because the registry has already reviewed your need.
Where to Buy: Channels and Vetting
The safest path is a reputable seller with clear paperwork, clean history, and solid ARIN transfer support.
Use reputable brokers, established marketplaces, or direct holder transfers, then complete the move through ARIN’s 8.3 or 8.4 process. Prioritize vendors who provide documented blacklist reports and help with ARIN paperwork.
Speed matters when a migration is blocked by poor reputation data, but the paperwork and screening still need to be orderly. Many teams want one source that can confirm seller records, explain the transfer path, surface blacklist history, and coordinate ARIN filing steps without sending staff through several disconnected vendors first. In that situation, you can buy IP addresses through Brander Group and review a blacklist report before you commit. That can reduce the time you spend chasing seller records.
Direct private deals can work, but they require more legwork. Validate ownership through RDAP, confirm chain of custody, and avoid blocks with suspicious routing history. RIR waitlists exist, but they rarely meet growth-stage demand.
| Channel | Speed | Documentation Burden | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accredited Broker | 30-45 days | Low, broker handles filings | Low |
| Direct / Private Deal | 45-90 days | High, self-managed | Medium |
| Inter-RIR (8.4) | 60-120 days | High, multi-registry | Medium |
| RIR Waitlist | Months to years | Low | Low, but slow |
How to Evaluate a Block: Buyer Due Diligence
Clean, routable space is worth more than discounted space with hidden problems. Use a repeatable checklist before you sign anything or wire funds.
Registry Lineage
Review WHOIS and Registration Data Access Protocol, or RDAP, history. Confirm the seller is the valid holder and that no dispute or inheritance issue is attached to the block.
Routing History
Look at past announcements, origin changes, and the autonomous system number, or ASN, that originated the prefix. Sudden shifts without matching route authorizations can signal prior hijack activity.
Reputation
Check Spamhaus DROP and EDROP lists, plus major blocklists tied to mail or abuse screening. A block with a long abuse record can delay go-live and hurt deliverability.
RPKI Status
Review existing Route Origin Authorizations, or ROAs, before closing. A stale ROA from a previous holder can make your new route invalid until it is removed or replaced.
Geolocation
Check major geolocation databases and plan to publish a geofeed under RFC 8805. Referencing that file in registry records under RFC 9092 speeds correction after the transfer.
Technical Fit
Confirm the block size, the chance to aggregate it cleanly, and whether the registry region works with your routing policy and business footprint.
Legal and Compliance by Region
Regional policy differences shape both your timeline and your paperwork burden.
Figure 2: Regional Internet Registry Compliance Summary
ARIN (North America, Caribbean)
Recipients must justify up to 24 months of need, and the minimum transfer size is a /24. ARIN also requires an officer acknowledgement, and waitlist space cannot be transferred again for 60 months.
RIPE NCC (Europe, Middle East, Central Asia)
RIPE supports both intra-RIR and inter-RIR transfers, but transferred IPv4 space cannot move again for 24 months. Direct holders also need Local Internet Registry (LIR) membership.
APNIC (Asia-Pacific)
APNIC uses needs-based review and offers pre-approval that remains valid for 24 months. It also operates a listing service that can help match buyers and sellers in-region.
Inter-RIR Considerations
For inter-RIR deals, compare both policy sets before you negotiate price. Misaligned eligibility rules are one of the most common causes of transfer delays.
Step-by-Step Transfer: From Offer to WHOIS Update
Clear milestones and escrow discipline keep the transaction safe. Use a sequence like this to control risk and keep both sides aligned.
- Define Requirements – Determine block size, target region, and budget range.
- Shortlist Sellers – Identify vetted sellers through a broker, marketplace, or known counterparty.
- Run Diligence – Perform full due diligence on lineage, routing, reputation, and policy fit (see section above).
- Execute Agreement – Sign purchase agreement and place funds into escrow with neutral third party.
- Submit to RIR – File transfer tickets to the RIR with any pre-approval documents.
- Respond to Questions – Answer analyst questions quickly and keep paperwork consistent on both sides.
- Confirm WHOIS Update – Wait for the WHOIS holder record to update to your organization name.
- Release Escrow & Harden – Release escrow upon WHOIS confirmation, then publish security and routing records before announcement.
Timeline Expectations
A straightforward intra-RIR transfer can close in two to four weeks when documents are complete and policy requirements are met. Inter-RIR deals usually take longer because two registries must review and approve the same movement. Working with an experienced partner like Brander Group can help streamline this timeline, especially for complex cross-registry transfers.
After You Buy: Make the Block Production-Ready
The first day after closing matters as much as the purchase itself.
Routing Security
Create ROAs through your RIR’s hosted Resource Public Key Infrastructure service, which is based on RFC 6480. Publish Internet Routing Registry route objects and coordinate with upstreams before you announce the prefix.
DNS
Build reverse DNS zones and PTR records early. If your environment uses DNSSEC, enable it before the block begins handling user traffic.
Email Posture
Warm new IPs slowly, especially if they will send transactional or marketing mail. Align SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and reverse DNS so mailbox providers see a consistent identity.
Geolocation
Publish the geofeed, update registry references, and submit corrections to major providers. Full correction can take days or weeks, so do not wait until launch week.
Monitoring
Add the prefix to BGP and RPKI monitoring tools. Alerts for invalid origins, unexpected announcements, and route leaks help you catch problems before customers do.
Costs, Timelines, and Budgeting
Buying IPv4 is capital planning, so the math should be explicit before you commit.
Market Pricing (As of Q1 2026)
Note: IPv4 market pricing varies significantly by region, block size, and current demand. The following represents typical market ranges:
- Purchase Price: $30–$40 per IP (varies by block size; larger blocks typically cost less per IP)
- Leasing Rate: Approximately $0.40 per IP per month
- Historical Context: Prices peaked near $50–$65 per IP in 2021–2022 and have moderated to current levels
One-Time Costs
- IPv4 address block itself
- Broker fee (if using broker-assisted purchase)
- Escrow fee (typically $500–$2,000)
- Legal review
- RIR transfer fee (if applicable)
Recurring Annual Costs
- Registry maintenance fees (approximately $300–$500/year for ARIN)
- DNS hosting
- BGP and RPKI monitoring tools
- Internal labor for routing record maintenance
Break-Even Analysis
A simplified break-even comparison: If you buy a /24 (256 addresses) at $32 per IP ($8,192 total) with a monthly lease alternative at $0.40 per IP ($102.40/month), ownership breaks even at approximately 80 months.
Important: This simplified calculation excludes annual registry fees (~$300–$500), DNS and monitoring costs (~$100–$300/year), and internal labor. Including these recurring costs reduces the effective break-even to 60–70 months for most organizations. Also consider potential resale value: if you later resell the block at 70% of purchase price, break-even improves to 40–50 months.
Make IPv4 Work for Your Digital Infrastructure Strategy
Procurement creates value only when the block is integrated cleanly into production.
Follow a disciplined transfer process, and harden the block before the first announcement. Then measure the outcome against lease rates, cloud spend, and the labor you avoided by not renumbering later.
For most teams, the best first step is a /24 that teaches the process without creating excess inventory. Keep building IPv6 at the same time, but treat IPv4 as an asset that still needs active management in a dual-stack network.
Ready to Move Forward?
If you’re evaluating IPv4 procurement or ready to begin the purchase process, Brander Group can guide you from initial assessment through final WHOIS update. With 20+ years of experience and expertise across ARIN, RIPE, and APNIC regions, we handle the complexity so you can focus on network strategy. Get a free IPv4 procurement consultation with Brander Group to discuss your specific requirements and timeline.
FAQ
Most buying mistakes come from routing assumptions, weak diligence, or incomplete registry prep.
What’s the Smallest Block I Can Buy and Still Route Globally?
A /24 is the practical floor. Large networks commonly filter longer prefixes from their BGP tables, so a /25 or smaller block may never be visible across enough of the internet to be useful. Some providers will accept /25, but global reachability is not guaranteed.
How Long Does a Transfer Take?
A typical intra-RIR transfer closes in two to four weeks when documents are complete and the buyer already meets policy requirements. Inter-RIR transfers usually take longer because both registries need to review the same move. Working with experienced brokers can help ensure smooth, predictable timelines.
Can I Announce Before the Transfer Closes Using an LOA?
Waiting for the WHOIS update is safer. Early announcement with an LOA can work in limited cases, but it adds operational and fraud risk, so it should be treated as an exception with tight controls and proper legal review.
Do I Need to Join an RIR?
That depends on the region. RIPE NCC requires Local Internet Registry (LIR) membership to hold resources directly, and ARIN requires a Registration Services Agreement. Check account status before you start the deal, not after. Your broker or legal team can advise on specific requirements.
How Do I Fix Wrong Geolocation After a Transfer?
Publish a geofeed under RFC 8805, reference it in registry records under RFC 9092, and submit corrections to major geolocation providers (MaxMind, IP2Location, etc.). Updates can take days or weeks, so start immediately after the transfer closes.
How Do I Avoid Buying a Tainted Block?
Verify WHOIS and RDAP lineage, review BGP history via routing repositories, check Spamhaus DROP and EDROP lists, and confirm ROA status before signing. A thorough diligence process is essential. Professional brokers can assist, but the buyer still needs a documented diligence process.
Should I Buy or Lease IPv4 Addresses?
Use a break-even model. At roughly $32 per IP to buy and about $0.40 per IP per month to lease, buying tends to fit longer holding periods (5+ years), while leasing fits short-term projects or capital-constrained teams. Include all recurring costs and potential resale value in your analysis.