- IPv4 addresses remain scarce and tradable, pushing prices higher despite broader IPv6 deployment and its advantages.
- The continued value of IPv4 highlights how numerical digital resources have become a form of digital capital in 2026 and raises questions about long-term internet address governance.
What happened: IPv4 scarcity drives continued demand and price growth
Despite the steady technical adoption of IPv6, the price of IPv4 addresses has continued to rise in secondary markets. IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) uses 32-bit addresses, allowing for about 4.3 billion unique addresses. When they were first deployed in the early internet, that seemed ample. However, decades of explosive growth in connected devices quickly exhausted the pool managed by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and regional internet registries (RIRs). This scarcity has created a thriving marketplace where organisations buy and sell blocks of IPv4 addresses, and prices have climbed as remaining blocks shrink.
IPv6, with its vastly larger 128-bit address space, was developed precisely to solve that scarcity. It provides an effectively unlimited number of unique internet addresses, and many networks now support both protocols. However, the transition to IPv6 has been gradual and uneven globally. Older infrastructure, software compatibility issues and the inertia of established IPv4-centric systems have slowed universal adoption. As a result, many organisations still rely on IPv4 for legacy systems, network appliances and certain services, sustaining demand for IPv4 blocks even as IPv6 nets grow.
The continued pricing pressure reflects not just technical need but also market dynamics: IPv4 addresses are finite and transferable in many regions, meaning they have become tradable assets. This elevates them beyond mere technical identifiers to a form of digital capital, much as outlined in our cornerstone article on what makes an IP address a form of digital capital in 2026. That piece explains how addresses confer both functional utility and economic value in a digital economy where unique identifiers are essential to connectivity and services.
Also Read: How can I protect my IP address like a pro?
Also read: What are IP addresses and why they are important?
Why it’s important
Rising IPv4 prices matter because they influence the economics of internet infrastructure and can affect smaller operators disproportionately. New entrants or startups that rely on IPv4 connectivity may face higher barrier costs, potentially dissuading competition or innovation. At the same time, IPv6 adoption — although technically superior in address space — does not yet negate the need for IPv4 in many practical scenarios, prolonging the dual-stack era where both protocols operate side by side.
The situation also highlights broader governance questions. Address allocation and transfer policies are managed by regional internet registries whose rules differ; transfers may be subject to restrictions or fees. This patchwork can affect price formation and market behaviour. Observers question whether evolving governance frameworks are keeping pace with market realities and whether they sufficiently promote equitable access to essential digital resources.
There are also security considerations tied to address usage and management. Our supporting article on how to protect my IP address like a pro discusses practical measures for individuals and organisations to safeguard their network identity, a task made more complex by the coexistence of IPv4 and IPv6 and by the trading of address blocks that changes ownership without always clear operational protocols.
In essence, the rising value of IPv4 addresses underscores persistent imbalances in internet infrastructure. Even as IPv6 deployment expands, the legacy of scarcity and economic incentives tied to finite digital resources keeps IPv4 prices on an upward trajectory, posing both operational and policy challenges for a fully equitable and secure internet.
