IPv4 Transfers via APNIC NIRs: JPNIC, CNNIC, KRNIC, TWNIC
Quick answer: In seven APNIC economies, IPv4 space is registered through a National Internet Registry (NIR) rather than directly with APNIC. A transfer involving that space follows APNIC transfer policy, but the paperwork, the approval and the timeline belong to the NIR. If the seller is a JPNIC member, JPNIC approves the release; if the buyer is a KRNIC member, KRNIC approves the receipt. A broker that already works with APNIC can run the deal end to end, but the NIR step cannot be skipped.
For current market pricing see our APNIC price guide and the IPv4 broker page.
What a National Internet Registry is
APNIC delegates part of its registry function to NIRs in seven economies. An organisation in Japan normally holds its addresses as a JPNIC member, not as an APNIC member, and the records in APNIC Whois name the NIR as the source. The same is true for CNNIC (China), IRINN (India), KRNIC (Korea), TWNIC (Taiwan), VNNIC (Vietnam) and IDNIC (Indonesia).
Nothing about the address space itself changes. A /24 held through JPNIC is an APNIC /24 in every routing table. What changes is who you talk to when the holder changes.
The seven NIRs at a glance
| NIR | Economy | Who approves the transfer | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPNIC | Japan | JPNIC, then APNIC | Japanese-language application; established transfer process |
| CNNIC | China | CNNIC, then APNIC | Additional documentation from both parties; longer review |
| KRNIC | Korea | KRNIC (KISA), then APNIC | Korean-language forms; membership only for local entities |
| TWNIC | Taiwan | TWNIC, then APNIC | Its own forms and its own fee schedule |
| IRINN / VNNIC / IDNIC | India / Vietnam / Indonesia | The NIR, then APNIC | Membership tied to local presence; national regulation may apply |
How a transfer runs when one side is an NIR member
- Identify the registry of record. APNIC Whois shows the source of every block. If the source is an NIR, the NIR is part of the process from day one.
- Confirm the counterparty. A buyer outside the NIR's economy cannot become its member, so the space either moves to a direct APNIC account or leaves the region through an inter-RIR transfer to RIPE NCC or ARIN.
- Recipient justification. APNIC policy asks the recipient to show the planned use of the space. For an inter-RIR transfer, the stricter of the two registries' rules applies.
- NIR application. The seller files the transfer with its NIR, in the NIR's own format and language. The NIR verifies that the applicant is the legitimate holder and that the block is not under a holding restriction.
- APNIC completes the record. After the NIR signs off, APNIC updates the registry (and coordinates with the receiving RIR if the transfer is inter-RIR). Escrow releases payment once the new holder appears in Whois.
What is different from a plain APNIC transfer
- Two approvals, not one. NIR first, then APNIC. Plan the timeline around the NIR's review, which is the slower and less predictable step.
- Language and format. NIR forms are in the national language. Translations of corporate documents are often needed.
- Membership is local. Only local entities join an NIR, which is why most NIR space that is sold ends up with a direct APNIC account holder or in another region.
- Holding period. APNIC's 5-year rule on transferred space applies. Check the block's history before signing.
- Same minimum block. A /24 is the smallest block that can move, in every NIR.
Where a broker sits
A broker does not need to be a member of the NIR to arrange the deal, but it does need to understand the NIR's process and hold an APNIC account for the registry side. DCXV holds an APNIC account and brokers transfers involving all seven NIRs: we match the counterparty, prepare the NIR and APNIC paperwork together with the seller, and hold the funds in escrow until the record changes.
More on this: APNIC transfers and inter-RIR transfers.
FAQ
Can a European company buy JPNIC space? Yes, through an inter-RIR transfer from APNIC to RIPE NCC. JPNIC approves the release, APNIC and RIPE NCC record the move, and the block becomes RIPE-managed space.
Do I need to become an NIR member to sell? You already are one if your space is registered through the NIR. The buyer does not become a member: the space moves to the buyer's registry.
Are NIR transfers slower? Usually, because there is an extra approval. How much slower depends on the NIR and on how complete the paperwork is at the start.
Is the price different for NIR space? Once transferred, the block is ordinary APNIC space and pricing follows the APNIC market. See the APNIC price guide.
Write to ipv4@dcxv.com or open https://dcxv.com/ipv4.
