IPv4 Transfers Healthy in Anticipation of Broadband Builds

Last months transfer data shows another month of steady activity in the IPv4 transfer market, underscoring how resilient address demand remains even as the broader economy continues to shift.

While overall transfer volume fluctuates slightly month to month, the most meaningful metric for gauging organic market activity remains firmly in a healthy range.

In October, ARIN recorded 147 IP transfer requests, only modestly lower than September’s 153 and on par with this year’s monthly average of around 148 per month.

That puts October comfortably above the typical post-summer baseline and within the same “growth-side plateau” we’ve seen throughout 2024–2025. The long-term takeaway: IPv4 demand remains strong, steady, and insulated from short-term economic turbulence.

But the real question the industry is asking now is: Where does the IPv4 market go from here in 2026?

A Slowdown at the Top, With Everyone Else Picking Up the Slack

One of the most influential dynamics heading into next year is the continued slowdown in acquisition activity from hyperscalers. Companies like Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure have dramatically tapered off the aggressive purchasing patterns that defined the market in earlier years.

This reduction isn’t a sign of weakening overall demand—it’s simply a recalibration. After years of large-scale buys, most hyperscalers now have the inventory they need and are using this period to optimize and reassign their existing allocations.

The gap left by hyperscalers, however, hasn’t resulted in a market contraction. Instead, we’re seeing a more diversified mix of buyers stepping in. Mid-size cloud providers, Mid sized and regional internet service providers, enterprises, and SaaS platforms are now driving a larger share of monthly transfers. These organizations are still expanding infrastructure, launching new services, and modernizing networks.  Due to the lack of IPv6 adoption and limitations of CG-NAT, IPv4 addresses continue to be the dominating protocol of all internet related services

Stable Demand, Lowered Pricing, Golden Opportunities

Pricing throughout 2024 and 2025 reflects the same stability we see in transfer volumes. Even with hyperscalers stepping back, mid market demand has kept strong.  Therefore prices for /24s through /19s haven’t collapsed, fluctuating around 10% to 15% this year.

Prices for /18s and larger subnets have dropped significantly, with many listings now falling well below the $20 per-IP threshold. This marks one of the most notable softening events in the large-block segment in years, driven primarily by reduced buying pressure from hyperscalers and an increase in supply from legacy holders.

For buyers with large-scale future requirements, this pricing environment presents a rare window of opportunity to secure substantial inventory at materially lower cost. The timing is especially important given the anticipated surge in demand once BEAD-funded infrastructure projects accelerate in 2026. As broadband providers, regional ISPs, and rural networks light up new deployments, available supply will tighten and prices are likely to rebound.

What to Expect in 2026

Next year, the IPv4 market is poised for another period of steady demand with upward pricing pressure as BEAD-funded projects ramp up and regional providers begin competing for available inventory. The temporary price softening we’re seeing in /18s and larger blocks might not last once these deployments start pulling significant volume out of the market.

It’s fair to assume that the low-$20 and sub-$20 pricing represents the bottom of the curve for large subnets. The smart move is to secure required address space now, while supply is still high and competition is limited. Waiting until mid to late 2026 might mean higher prices, tighter availability, and longer transaction timelines. In short: treat the current market as a buying window, not a new normal.