The IPv4 shortage is a problem that has been building for years and will affect the whole world in 2025. The number of IPv4 addresses that are still available has almost disappeared because of the rapid growth of connected devices, cloud platforms, and online services. Many businesses still use IPv4 because it is more compatible, cheaper, and has better infrastructure, even though IPv6 is now available.
This article tells you why IPv4 addresses are running out, how this affects businesses, and what you can do to make sure you have the IP resources you need.
Why are IPv4 addresses running out?
IPv4 came out in the early 1980s and uses a 32-bit addressing system that gives you about 4.3 billion unique IP addresses. At the time, it seemed like this was more than enough for everyone in the world. But the rise of smartphones, IoT devices, cloud servers, and digital growth made that pool run out much faster than anyone thought it would.
All five Regional Internet Registries (ARIN, RIPE, APNIC, LACNIC, and AFRINIC) had run out of or almost run out of their IPv4 allocations by 2020. In 2025, things have only gotten worse as businesses keep fighting over address space in the secondary market.
Also, even though more people are using IPv6, it is still not fully developed and is not always reliable. Many applications, devices, and services still only use IPv4 to stay connected and work with other devices, especially in older networks.
The IPv4 Shortage’s Effects in 2025
The lack of IPv4 addresses has big effects on businesses:
- Rising Costs: The average price of a single IPv4 address now ranges between $35 and $50, depending on the region and reputation of the IP block.
- Limited Access: Small ISPs and startups often have trouble getting IPs directly from registries, so they have to go to the leasing or secondary markets instead.
- Delays in Growth: New data centers, VPNs, or cloud instances can’t go live if there aren’t enough IPs, which slows down the growth of infrastructure.
- Security Risks: Some companies buy cheap, unverified IPs that may have been blacklisted or linked to abuse in the past.
These problems show how important it is to have reliable IPv4 management and trusted providers who can help fill the gap until IPv6 becomes more common.
About IPv4Hub.net
In 2025, IPv4Hub.net will be one of the best places to rent IPv4 addresses. The business connects verified IP lessors and lessees from all over the world and offers flexible leasing terms that can last anywhere from a few months to several years. Customers can choose from blocks like /24, /23, or /22. They will get full documentation, including SWIP, LOA, and ROA support, to make sure routing is correct. The process is clear and quick. After verification and payment, businesses get clean, routable IPs that are ready to use. IPv4Hub.net makes the whole process easier so you can focus on growing your business instead of chasing IP allocations.
What Companies Can Do About the IPv4 Shortage
If your business is having trouble getting IP addresses, there are a few things you can do:
- Lease IPv4 Addresses: Leasing gives you immediate access without having to pay a lot of money up front. IPv4Hub.net and other providers let you rent only what you need and grow as you need to.
- Check Your Current Resources: A lot of businesses have IP blocks that they don’t use or don’t use enough. Reclaiming or subleasing them can help with internal shortages.
- Slowly switch to IPv6: IPv4 is still important, but you should start moving to dual-stack environments to make sure your systems will work in the future.
- Network Address Translation (NAT) and Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT) can make IPv4 more useful by letting more than one device use the same public IP.
Work with Trusted Brokers: If you decide to buy IPv4 blocks, make sure to work with brokers you can trust who will make sure the addresses are clean and legally transferred.
The Future: Getting Ready for a Dual-Stack World
Experts say that the lack of IPv4 will last until the end of the decade. IPv6 is becoming more popular, but IPv4 will still be important for everyday internet access until the whole world switches over. Companies that plan ahead by combining IPv4 leasing, IPv6 readiness, and good IP management will stay ahead of the game.
The main point is easy to understand: don’t wait until you don’t have any IPv4 resources left. The sooner you protect your IP strategy, the better your company will be able to handle digital growth and keep providing service without interruptions.
The IPv4 shortage in 2025 shows that the internet’s original design couldn’t have predicted how big it would get. But businesses can get around the problem and keep growing their digital footprint by using proactive solutions like leasing through IPv4Hub.net, using hybrid models, and getting ready for IPv6.