Shifting Landscape of the IPv4 Transfer Market

16 September 2024

IPv4 Demand On The Rise Again

In the ever-shifting landscape of the global economy, markets can rise and fall with the flicker of a headline or the whisper of a trend. After two months of decreased demand, this market—once bruised and beleaguered—has made a remarkable resurgence. It has not only regained lost ground but is now charting a course towards renewed growth as we had experienced in the first half of the year in 2024.

This rebound is a testament to the resilience of industries, the adaptability of businesses, and the unshakable confidence of internet community who refused to let short-term volatility define the long-term network growth requirements. Here’s how this market, once thought to be on the brink, has reemerged stronger than ever.

The IPv4 market has bounced back to 142 transfer requests in August 2024, which is right in line with this year’s average of 143 per month. Last month’s demand indicated an increase of +12% over July and a whopping +25% over June. With even better news, the 143 average is still up +5% over the average of 2022 and 2023.

The recent surge in demand coincides with Louisiana’s allocation of $1.3 billion in BEAD funds, with plans to begin distribution soon. As more states consistently receive their BEAD allocations, we can anticipate further demand spikes in the upcoming months and certainly in 2025.

Additionally, we’ve noticed a significant increase for larger IPv4 subnets from our client, a trend not seen during the first half of the year. August marked another record-breaking month of IPv4 sales, with 73 IPv4 transfers — a 25% increase over our 2024 monthly average of 58 transfers.

Looking ahead, factors such as the upcoming elections, continued BEAD funding, and the approaching year-end budget deadlines suggest a potentially dynamic Q4. Stay tuned for what promises to be an exciting conclusion to the year.