IPv4 Market Report - July 2026
The snapshot. July 2026 confirms what H1 established: the market found its floor and is now grinding higher. Average prices are up month-over-month on every block size we track, RIPE NCC transfer volume held in its 350-480/month band, and the biggest policy event - the May 2026 General Meeting keeping the flat-fee model and rejecting transfer fees - is now priced in. For buyers the message is the window is open but narrowing; for sellers, exit economics are the cleanest they have been in two years. This is the monthly recurring snapshot from the DCXV desk. For the full recovery thesis see H1 2026 market recovery in numbers; for live per-IP pricing see IPv4 price per IP.
Price by block size - July vs June
| Registry | Block | June 2026 (per IP) | July 2026 (per IP) | Monthly change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIPE NCC | /24 (256 IPs) | $40 - $53 | $40 - $55 | up at the top end |
| RIPE NCC | /22 (1,024 IPs) | $37 - $50 | $38 - $52 | flat to +$2 |
| ARIN | /24 (256 IPs) | $41 - $56 | $42 - $58 | up ~$1-2 |
| ARIN | /22 (1,024 IPs) | $39 - $53 | $40 - $55 | up ~$1-2 |
| APNIC | /24 (256 IPs) | $34 - $48 | $35 - $50 | up at both ends |
| Large blocks | /16 and up | $13 - $20 | $15 - $22 | strongest recovery |
Three things to read out of the table. First, small blocks (/24) are the sturdiest asset - the floor barely moved through 2025 and the ceiling is now creeping up as buyer breadth returns. Second, large blocks (/16+) are recovering fastest in percentage terms, clawing back from the ten-year lows of 2025, but still well below their 2021-22 peaks. Third, ARIN commands a small premium over RIPE on AI-infrastructure demand, and that premium widened slightly again this month.
Transfer volume and where the flow is
RIPE NCC continues to lead global transfer volume at roughly 350-480 completed transfers per month, with ARIN second. Two structural notes for July:
- Inter-RIR transfers (ARIN to RIPE) keep growing. EU-jurisdiction demand pulls blocks westward, and the RIPE premium justifies the extra paperwork. Expect this flow to continue as long as RIPE prices sit at or above ARIN.
- The 24-month transfer lock (RIPE-807) is releasing 2024 allocations. Blocks allocated in mid-2024 are now eligible for transfer, which is quietly adding supply at a moment when buyer demand is broadening.
If you are weighing the waiting list against buying, the math is stark: the RIPE queue still runs about 467 days and a /24 via the LIR route costs roughly EUR 4,600 all-in before you ever announce - versus 2-3 weeks on the secondary market. Detail in how to sell your IPv4 block.
Policy: the May 2026 GM result, now settled
The General Meeting kept the flat-fee model (Option A). The LIR annual fee moves from EUR 1,800 to EUR 1,894 from 2027 - a EUR 94 increase. The category-based alternative (Option B) was rejected, and crucially no transfer fee was introduced (the proposed EUR 500 per-transfer fee was dropped again). For the secondary market this is the cleanest possible outcome: your exit math is sale price minus broker commission, with no registry tax layered on top. Full breakdown in RIPE charging scheme 2027.
One practical consequence for holders of multiple LIRs: each open LIR is now EUR 1,894/year from 2027, so consolidation of redundant LIRs before the 2027 invoicing cycle is worth a quick review.
What moved the DCXV desk this month
- Most active size: /24 and /22 RIPE blocks, by deal count. These are the most liquid slice of the market and where the buyer base is broadest.
- Buyer mix: hosting providers and mid-size cloud operators led, with continued interest from AI-infrastructure builders. Hyperscaler acquisition stayed subdued relative to the 2021-24 peak.
- Listings: supply of clean, post-lock RIPE /22s improved as 2024 allocations cleared the 24-month window. Dirty blocks (active Spamhaus/Barracuda listings) consistently discounted 20-50 percent - the single biggest price killer in our pipeline.
- Timeline: clean intra-RIR transfers closed in the usual 3-10 business days, with escrow opened within 1 hour of agreement and RIPE transfer review running 2-3 weeks.
The pattern is steady, not spectacular. The recovery is real but orderly - no panic buying, no fire-sale selling.
The buyer's question: is now the window?
Yes, with a caveat. Prices are rising but not spiking. The combination of (a) recovering per-IP prices, (b) fresh supply as the 24-month lock releases 2024 blocks, and (c) zero RIPE transfer fee means the cost of waiting is now going up, not down. A buyer who needs /24 to /20 for the next 3-5 years of operations is better served locking in current prices than betting the floor drops again - the floor has held for over a year.
The caveat: for buyers who only need addresses for a short project or want to preserve cash, leasing at roughly $0.40/IP/month is still the better trade than buying. Run the break-even (~6 years for a /24 at current prices) before committing.
August outlook
Three things we are watching for August. First, whether the ARIN premium over RIPE keeps widening on AI demand or compresses as inter-RIR supply flows west. Second, whether the large-block (/16+) recovery accelerates or plateaus around $20/IP - that is the segment that moved most in 2025 and is most sensitive to sentiment. Third, any signal from the RIPE NCC on 2027 invoicing timing, which will push multi-LIR holders toward consolidation decisions.
We will publish the August report in the first half of next month. If you want the numbers for your specific block size and registry, or a free pre-sale blacklist audit, email ipv4@dcxv.com or see https://dcxv.com/ipv4.
