IPv4 Price Trends and How to Buy IP Addresses Securely

Imagine this: in a world where every smartphone, smart speaker, laptop, or even smart fridge needs a unique internet address, we’re officially running out of IPv4 addresses. That’s not just a tech concern anymore—it’s a serious financial and operational issue for businesses, especially those in hosting, cloud infrastructure, colocation, or SaaS industries.

Back in the early 1980s, IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) was introduced with just over 4.3 billion IP addresses. At the time, that felt endless. Fast forward to now, and almost every IPv4 block has been exhausted globally. As demand continues to surge and supply stays finite, IPv4 has become a digital commodity—with a price tag to match.

In fact, according to industry data, the average cost of a single IPv4 address has soared from $5 in 2015 to over $55 in 2024, and experts say this number will likely climb even further until IPv6 gains widespread adoption (which, let’s face it, is still moving slowly).

In this blog, we’ll explore the current IPv4 price trends, the key factors influencing cost, and most importantly, how to buy IPv4 addresses securely and smartly—especially if you're sourcing for use in cloud hosting, colocation environments, or server-based deployments through providers like Cyfuture Cloud.

Why IPv4 is Still So Valuable in 2025

Before diving into the pricing charts and buying guides, it’s important to ask—why hasn’t IPv6 taken over yet?

The short answer: compatibility and complexity.

While IPv6 offers a virtually unlimited number of addresses (literally trillions), a large portion of the internet—including legacy applications, firewalls, and routers—still runs on IPv4. Migrating entire infrastructures is costly and requires a coordinated effort across ISPs, hosting providers, and end-users.

So, what do companies do in the meantime? They buy, lease, or transfer IPv4 blocks from brokers or holders. Which brings us to our next point…

IPv4 Price Trends: What's Driving the Market?

Current Pricing Overview (2024–2025)

That’s over 10x appreciation in less than a decade!

Key Factors Influencing IPv4 Price:

Demand-Supply Imbalance
With most regional internet registries (RIRs) now depleted, the only way to acquire IPv4 addresses is through secondary markets or legacy holders.

Hosting & Cloud Industry Boom
The rise of cloud-native businesses, AI, SaaS, and app developers has created enormous demand for static IPs, especially in India, Southeast Asia, and Africa, where internet penetration is scaling fast.

Broker & Marketplace Fees
Prices are often inflated by intermediary commissions or escrow services involved in transactions.

Clean vs. Blacklisted IPs
Addresses with a clean usage history (not used for spam, botnets, etc.) command a premium price over blacklisted ranges.

IP Block Size
Larger blocks (e.g., /24, /22, /20) offer economies of scale, whereas smaller blocks often come at a higher per-IP cost.

Who Needs to Buy IPv4?

IPv4 isn’t just for ISPs. Businesses across several industries require their own dedicated address space:

Hosting Providers: For mapping client websites and servers

Colocation Services: Assigning IPs for physical server deployments

SaaS Companies: For geolocation consistency and security

VPN Providers: For global IP routing

Email Marketers: For maintaining IP reputation and deliverability

If your business runs on or resells cloud, hosting, or colocation services, having access to IPv4 addresses is more necessity than luxury.

How to Buy IPv4 Addresses Securely

Given the scarcity and value, the IPv4 market has also become prone to fraud, unauthorized transfers, and poor-quality IPs. So here’s a step-by-step guide to purchasing them the right way:

1. Understand Your Needs

Before jumping into the market, determine:

Number of IPs you need

Whether you want ownership or lease

Required region (ARIN, APNIC, RIPE, etc.)

Intended usage (hosting, email, web servers, etc.)

2. Work with an Approved IPv4 Broker

Look for a broker who is:

Listed in RIR directories (ARIN, APNIC, RIPE NCC)

Transparent about fees and processes

Offers legal contracts, escrow, and background checks on IP blocks

You can also consult cloud service providers like Cyfuture Cloud, who often facilitate secure IPv4 leasing as part of their infrastructure offerings.

3. Do a WHOIS and RIR Check

Verify the block’s ownership and status:

Use WHOIS lookup tools

Ensure there’s no ongoing dispute or hijack attempt

Make sure it’s listed in a region that supports the transfer

4. Ensure Clean IP Reputation

Always test the block through:

Spamhaus, Talos, or Barracuda blacklists

Reputation intelligence platforms

Email deliverability test tools (if using IPs for outreach)

5. Sign a Proper Legal Agreement

This should cover:

IP range and count

Ownership or lease terms

Transfer date and method

Warranty of clean status

RIR compliance terms

Use escrow where possible to avoid upfront fraud.

Alternatives to Buying IPv4 (If You’re Not Ready)

Not everyone needs to outright buy IPv4. If your requirement is limited or short-term, consider:

IPv4 Leasing (from verified brokers or hosting providers)

IPv6 Transition (if your app/platform supports it)

Using NAT Gateways (for internal resource routing)

Cloud-based Load Balancers (that use a single IP to proxy traffic)

Providers like Cyfuture Cloud also offer IP-as-a-Service, bundling static IPv4 addresses into scalable cloud server or colocation plans, helping you avoid the capital cost of purchasing blocks.

Cyfuture Cloud and IPv4 Addressing

If you’re hosting your infrastructure in India, working with an Indian cloud provider makes strategic sense—low latency, faster support, and INR billing (no USD conversion headaches).

Cyfuture Cloud offers:

IPv4 bundles with VPS and dedicated server plans

Colocation-ready IPv4 assignments for on-premise equipment

Compliance with APNIC and Indian internet regulations

Real-time monitoring and blacklisting alerts

Managed support for both static and dynamic IP use cases

They also provide advisory support on how many IPs you need based on your infrastructure roadmap—something most brokers skip.

Final Thoughts

IPv4 is no longer just an internet protocol—it’s a digital asset. As cloud-native businesses, apps, and data services continue to explode, the demand for IPv4 is showing no signs of slowing down.

The key is to stay informed. Understand the price trends, do your due diligence, and work with verified brokers or infrastructure providers like Cyfuture Cloud to make smart, secure purchases.

Whether you’re setting up a hosting company, deploying SaaS apps, or scaling a colocation server, IPv4 addresses are the silent enablers of your tech stack. And securing them smartly today could save you thousands in the near future.