How RIPE's 24-Month Hold Period Impacts Your IPv4 Strategy

You've acquired a /22 IPv4 block. Your network is humming along nicely. Then six months later, circumstances change – your company pivots strategy, a merger opportunity emerges, or you simply realize you don't need all that address space.

You call your broker to offload the excess. That's when you hear it: "Sorry, you can't transfer those addresses yet. RIPE's 24-month hold period hasn't expired."

Your IPv4 investment is locked. Your capital is frozen. Your flexibility? Gone.

This is the reality of RIPE's 24-month hold period – a policy that fundamentally reshapes how you should approach IPv4 strategy in 2026. It doesn't just prevent quick flips; it forces you to think 2-3 years ahead for any IPv4 acquisition decision.

This guide breaks down exactly how the hold period works, who it affects most, and which strategies actually work when your address space is locked down for two years. If you're planning to buy, sell, or restructure IPv4 holdings in the RIPE region, you need to understand this rule before you commit capital.

Quick Recap: RIPE IPv4 World Today

The RIPE IPv4 landscape in 2026 looks nothing like it did a decade ago.

RIPE NCC ran out of freely available IPv4 addresses in November 2019. Since then, new LIRs can only receive one /24 allocation (256 addresses) through a waiting list that currently stretches 12-24 months. Over 1,000 organizations are queued up, and the supply trickling back comes primarily from deregistrations and closed businesses.

For a full breakdown of RIPE NCC membership costs and pitfalls, including the hidden fees nobody warns you about.

If you need more than 256 addresses or can't wait 12-24 months, you have two options:

1. Transfer market: Purchase IPv4 blocks from existing holders through brokers and RIR-facilitated transfers

2. Leasing: Rent address space from holders who maintain ownership while you use the IPs

Read how to buy vs. lease IPv4 – a practical playbook with cost comparisons.

Understand the distinction:

• Allocation = Receiving addresses directly from RIPE NCC (rare, limited to waiting list /24s)

• Transfer = Acquiring addresses from another LIR or resource holder through the secondary market

Both types of transactions – new allocations AND transfers – trigger RIPE's 24-month hold period. This is where strategy gets complicated.

What Is RIPE's 24-Month Hold Period?

The rule is deceptively simple: After IPv4 addresses are allocated by RIPE NCC or transferred between parties, those addresses cannot be transferred again for 24 months.

Think of it as a timer that starts ticking the moment you receive the addresses. Until that timer expires, the block is locked to your organization.

The technical language from RIPE Policy (ripe-682): "Scarce resources, which are understood on an allocatable basis (such as IPv4 or 16-bit ASNs), cannot be transferred for 24 months from the date the resource was received by the resource holder."

What this means in practice:

Your LIR receives a /22 allocation from RIPE's waiting list in January 2024. The 24-month clock starts immediately. The earliest date you can transfer any portion of that /22 to another party: January 2026.

You purchase a /21 block through a broker transfer in March 2025. The 24-month hold begins when the transfer completes. You cannot transfer it again until March 2027 – even if you only needed it for 12 months.

The hold applies to:

• New allocations from RIPE NCC's waiting list

• Standard LIR-to-LIR transfers within RIPE region

• Inter-RIR transfers (addresses coming into RIPE from ARIN, APNIC, etc.)

• Resources obtained through mergers and acquisitions (M&A)

Important nuance on M&A: Prior to policy changes in 2016, M&A transfers had exemptions. Those are gone. If you acquire a company with IPv4 holdings, those addresses are subject to the same 24-month hold as any other transfer. However, subsequent M&A activity between your own LIR accounts (consolidations within the same organization) may have different treatment – consult RIPE policy documentation for current specifics.

The hold does NOT apply to:

• Internal reorganizations between your own LIR accounts under the same legal entity

• Returns to RIPE NCC (though why would you do this?)

• Maintaining and using the addresses – you have full operational control

The policy is a blanket lockdown on transfers, not on usage.

Why This Rule Exists (Anti-Speculation & Stability)

RIPE didn't implement the 24-month hold to make your life difficult. The policy has legitimate goals rooted in registry stability and fairness.

Stopping IPv4 speculation and flipping:

Before the hold period, a subset of actors engaged in "LIR farming" – opening multiple LIR accounts, receiving allocations, holding addresses just long enough to appear legitimate, then immediately selling them at market prices. The pattern was clear: some entities were treating RIPE allocations as free inventory to flip rather than network infrastructure to operate.

Example from 2019-2021: Analysis of transfer data showed a visible spike in recently-allocated addresses being transferred right at the minimum holding period. Organizations were clearly timing their sales to the policy window, treating IPv4 as a speculative commodity rather than operational resource.

Protecting routing table stability:

Every time a block changes hands and gets announced from a new ASN, it creates churn in global BGP routing tables. While one transfer is insignificant, thousands of rapid-fire transfers create operational overhead for the entire internet. The 24-month hold dampens this churn by ensuring addresses stay with a holder long enough to establish stable routing patterns.

Ensuring fair distribution to genuine operators:

RIPE's waiting list and allocation policies are designed to give newcomers access to minimal IPv4 resources. If those resources immediately get flipped to the highest bidder, the policy fails its purpose. The hold period creates friction that discourages purely financial actors while allowing legitimate network operators to build and grow.

The Historical Context

The 24-month hold was added to RIPE policy in July 2015, initially applying only to new allocations from RIPE's dwindling pool. In September 2016, it was extended to cover ALL transfers, including M&A transactions. This evolution shows RIPE's community tightening restrictions as they recognized loopholes being exploited.

Does It Work?

Partially. The hold period has reduced blatant flipping behavior, but it hasn't stopped the IPv4 transfer market from functioning – it's simply changed the time horizon participants must plan for. Sophisticated investors still operate in the space; they just factor in 24-month liquidity constraints.

Where the 24-Month Hold Hits Hardest

Not every organization feels the hold period equally. Here's who gets burned:

1. New LIRs chasing allocations:

You become a RIPE member specifically to get on the waiting list. You wait 18 months. You finally receive your /24 allocation. Then you realize 256 addresses won't scale your business – you need to buy more anyway.

Problem: That /24 is locked for 24 months from receipt. You can't package it with purchased blocks to create a larger aggregated space to sell or restructure. Your hands are tied until the hold expires, even if market conditions or your business strategy change completely.

2. IP investors and speculators:

Your business model depends on buying undervalued IPv4 blocks, holding briefly, and selling when prices rise. The 24-month hold fundamentally breaks this model in RIPE.

Capital impact: If you invest $150,000 in a /20 block, that capital is frozen for two years minimum. You can't realize gains, you can't exit if prices drop, you can't rebalance your portfolio. The opportunity cost of locked capital often outweighs potential appreciation – especially in an era where IPv4 prices have been volatile or declining.

Our sell vs. lease break-even analysis shows why leasing often outperforms in a declining-price market.

2024-2026 reality: IPv4 purchase prices have actually fallen or stagnated in many block sizes, with /16s dropping below $20/IP for the first time since 2019. An investor who bought at peak prices in 2022-2023 is now underwater AND unable to exit their position until the hold expires.

3. Network operators needing flexibility:

Your company gets acquired 14 months after you purchased a /21 block. The acquirer wants to consolidate all IP resources under their LIR. You can't complete the transfer – the hold hasn't expired. The integration is delayed, and everyone's frustrated.

Or: You're a hosting provider that overbought IPv4 capacity. Traffic patterns changed, and you want to monetize excess inventory. You're stuck holding addresses you're not fully utilizing, paying RIPE membership fees, and unable to convert that asset back to cash until the timer runs out.

4. Brokers and market makers:

Your business model revolves around inventory turnover. You acquire blocks, verify reputation, sometimes improve routing infrastructure, and resell quickly. The 24-month hold adds a massive carrying cost.

You must:

• Finance 24+ months of holding costs (annual RIPE fees, opportunity cost of capital)

• Predict market conditions 2 years out

• Accept illiquidity risk (what if you need capital for another opportunity?)

Many brokers have adapted by shifting toward leasing models or simply requiring significantly higher margins to justify the extended hold periods. This means higher prices for buyers.

The universal impact: Even if you're a legitimate operator with no intention to flip addresses, the hold period constrains your strategic flexibility. Business pivots, M&A opportunities, network restructuring – all of these become more complicated when your IPv4 resources are locked for 24 months.

See our full IPv4 monetization guide for strategies that work under these constraints.

The rule doesn't kill the market, but it dramatically lengthens your planning horizon. Any IPv4 strategy in RIPE must account for this reality from day one.

Strategic Models Under the 24-Month Hold Rule

Let's break down the major approaches and how the hold period affects each.

Model A – Own & Hold (Long-Term Operator)

The approach: Buy IPv4 with full due diligence and use them in your network infrastructure for 3-10+ years. The addresses are operational assets, not financial instruments.

Hold period impact: Minimal.

If you're genuinely using the addresses for multi-year network operations, the 24-month hold is largely irrelevant. You had no plans to transfer them anyway.

Who this fits:

• ISPs building long-term customer bases

• Hosting providers with stable capacity requirements

• Enterprises running on-premise infrastructure with predictable growth

• Cloud operators with multi-year customer commitments

Key risk: Business circumstances can change. A technology shift (successful IPv6 migration), market contraction, or strategic pivot might leave you with unneeded IPv4 – but you can't offload it until the hold expires. This creates balance sheet risk.

Model B – Speculative Buy & Flip (Investor)

The approach: Acquire blocks on IPv4 investment platform specifically as financial assets, expecting prices to appreciate. Hold for minimal time, then sell at profit.

Hold period impact: Catastrophic to traditional model.

The 24-month lock fundamentally breaks the "buy low, sell high quickly" approach. Your capital is frozen, your flexibility is gone, and you must predict market conditions 24+ months out.

Who this still fits (barely):

• Very patient investors with 3-5 year horizons

• Entities with enough capital that 24-month illiquidity isn't a constraint

• Organizations that can use the addresses operationally WHILE holding them for appreciation

Adaptations required: Instead of pure speculation, combine holding with leasing. Buy the block, lease it out during the 24-month hold period to generate cash flow, then sell when the hold expires if market conditions are favorable.

This turns a pure capital investment into a cash-flowing asset, but it requires:

• Finding lessees (platform partnerships like IPbnb help here)

• Managing reputation and abuse (lessees impact your block's value)

• Proper BGP announcements and routing infrastructure

Reality check: Most pure speculators have exited RIPE or shifted to other regions (ARIN's 12-month hold is more workable). Those who remain have adapted to longer time horizons and hybrid models.

Model C – Lease Instead of Owning (The Flexibility Play)

The approach: Don't buy IPv4 at all. Lease address space for 12-36 month terms from holders who maintain ownership.

Hold period impact: Doesn't affect you directly – you're not the owner.

The hold period is the lessor's problem, not yours. You get operational use of the IPs without the transfer restrictions, capital lock-up, or 24-month commitment.

Who this fits:

• Startups and high-growth companies where requirements fluctuate

• Temporary projects or proof-of-concepts

• Organizations testing markets before committing capital

• Businesses preferring OPEX over CAPEX

• Anyone needing IPv4 for less than 24 months

Key advantages:

• No capital freeze: Pay monthly/quarterly/annually, no six-figure purchase

• Exit flexibility: Lease terms typically allow termination with notice (30-90 days)

• Geographic flexibility: Easily lease IPs in different regions as you expand

• Avoid hold period constraints: Switch providers, scale up/down, or stop entirely – no 24-month lockdown

Trade-offs:

• You don't own the asset (no appreciation upside, no balance sheet value)

• Ongoing OPEX rather than one-time CAPEX

• Dependent on lessor's LIR relationship and reputation

• Potential renumbering if lease isn't renewed (though most platforms offer renewal terms)

Why the hold period makes leasing more attractive: When ownership comes with 24 months of illiquidity, leasing's flexibility becomes extremely valuable. The opportunity cost of locked capital often exceeds the cumulative lease costs for short-to-medium term needs.

Model D – Hybrid (Core Owned, Peak/Expansion Leased)

The approach: Own a stable IPv4 footprint for core infrastructure (sized for baseline demand), then lease additional capacity for peak traffic, geographic expansion, or temporary projects.

Hold period impact: Contained to your owned blocks only.

Your core addresses are subject to the 24-month hold if you need to sell or restructure. But your leased capacity provides the flexibility that ownership lacks.

Who this fits:

• Mature companies with predictable baseline demand but variable peak loads

• Multi-region operators expanding into new markets

• Organizations transitioning to IPv6 but needing IPv4 bridge capacity

• Companies that want asset ownership but also strategic flexibility

Strategic implementation:

• Own enough IPv4 to cover 60-70% of steady-state requirements

• Lease the remaining 30-40% needed for peaks, testing, or short-term projects

• If you must downsize core holdings, you're only constrained by the hold period on owned blocks — leased space can be dropped immediately

Example scenario: You're a hosting provider with 8,000 IPv4 addresses in consistent use. You own a /19 (8,192 IPs) as your core asset. During holiday traffic spikes, you lease an additional /22 (1,024 IPs) for 3-4 months. When launching a new regional data center, you lease a /23 (512 IPs) while testing market demand – committing to ownership only after proving the market.

This approach gives you the best of both worlds: asset ownership where it makes sense, flexibility where you need it most.

Strategic Models vs Hold Period Exposure

Scenario Analysis: 3-Year Horizon (Own vs Lease vs Hybrid)

Let's model three realistic scenarios to show how the 24-month hold period changes the financial and operational equation.

The analysis shows that for most scenarios where your needs might change within 24 months, ownership's capital lock-up and lack of flexibility outweigh the long-term cost savings.

How Leasing Platforms (Like IPbnb) Change the Equation

Here's where the 24-month hold period transforms from constraint to opportunity – if you're a platform connecting lessors and lessees.

For IPv4 holders stuck in the hold period:

You bought a /21 block (2,048 IPs) for strategic reasons, but the acquisition timeline got delayed. Now you're sitting on addresses you won't need for 12-18 months, and the 24-month hold means you can't sell them.

Holders can monetize locked IPv4 through leasing – start earning immediately instead of waiting 24 months.

Enter leasing platforms. Instead of letting that asset sit dormant:

• List the IPs on IPbnb or similar platforms

• Generate monthly revenue ($0.38-0.45/IP/month, or $779-922/month on 2,048 IPs)

• Recover carrying costs (RIPE fees, opportunity cost of capital)

• Maintain ownership throughout – you're not transferring, so the hold doesn't block you

When the hold expires and your business plans solidify, you decide: keep leasing (cash flow) or sell (liquidate). The 24-month period went from dead weight to cash-generating asset.

Here's how to list your IPs on the IPbnb marketplace and start earning during the hold period.

For organizations needing IPv4 capacity:

You need 512 IPv4 addresses for a 16-month project. Buying a /23 means:

• $20,000-25,000 upfront capital

• 24-month hold period (can't sell for 8 months after project ends)

• Stuck with an asset you don't need

Leasing through a platform means:

• Pay $195-230/month ($0.38-0.45/IP)

• 16-month total: $3,120-3,680

• Project ends? Stop leasing. No hold period constrains you.

• Capital saved: ~$21,000 you can deploy elsewhere

How platforms like IPbnb facilitate this:

Matching market: Platforms connect "held" block owners (who can't sell but can lease) with capacity demanders (who don't want ownership's constraints). The 24-month hold creates a natural pool of leaseable inventory.

RIPE-compliant structure (Proper platforms handle):

• Route objects and LOAs for BGP announcements

• RPKI setup through partner LIRs

• RIPE database maintenance

• Abuse monitoring and reputation protection

This means lessees get clean, routable IPv4 space without needing their own LIR. Lessors maintain compliance without operational headaches.

Term flexibility: Leasing platforms typically offer 6, 12, 24, or 36-month terms with renewal options. This flexibility directly counters the rigidity of the 24-month hold on ownership.

Reputation and abuse management: Platforms like IPbnb monitor IP reputation, handle abuse complaints, and can terminate leases if IPs get blacklisted. This protects lessors' asset value – critical since they're stuck holding the addresses for 24 months minimum.

The strategic insight: If your planning horizon is under 24 months, or if you value flexibility over ownership, leasing through platforms neutralizes the hold period's impact. You're not constrained because you were never trying to own and transfer – you're simply using the capacity you need, when you need it.

Calculate potential earnings during the hold period: IPv4 earnings calculator

Design Checklist: Planning IPv4 Moves Under the 24-Month Rule

Before you buy, transfer, or commit to IPv4 in RIPE, work through this checklist:

1. Define your actual time horizon:

• How long will you need these specific addresses?

• What's the probability you'll want to sell or restructure in <24 months?

• If uncertain, can you wait for the hold to expire before making significant commitments?

2. Categorize your address space by role:

• Core infrastructure: Long-term operational needs (5+ years) → ownership makes sense

• Growth/expansion: Uncertain requirements, might scale up or down → lease or wait

• Project-specific: Known end date in 12-36 months → strongly favor leasing

• Speculative/investment: Purely financial asset → factor in 24-month illiquidity cost

3. Model the hold period into your financial planning:

• Calculate opportunity cost of capital locked for 24 months

• Compare to leasing total cost over equivalent period

• Consider: what else could you do with $50K if it weren't frozen in IPv4?

4. Map out likely business scenarios:

• Best case: You scale faster than expected and need more IPs → Can you lease additional rather than buying more?

• Worst case: You need less than expected → Can you offload excess without hitting hold restrictions?

• M&A scenario: If you're acquired, can the acquirer wait for hold to expire or will integration delays be costly?

5. Check existing inventory against hold windows:

• For any IPv4 you already hold, when does the 24-month period expire?

• Can you structure transactions around those windows (sell old blocks once clear, buy new ones after)?

• Are you inadvertently creating overlapping hold periods that compound your illiquidity?

6. Assess your tolerance for asset illiquidity:

• Does your organization have enough liquid capital that 24 months doesn't matter?

• Or would locked capital in IPv4 prevent you from pursuing other opportunities?

• What's the downside if market conditions turn against you during the hold?

7. Evaluate lease-to-own pathways:

• Some platforms offer "lease with option to buy" structures

• This lets you use IPs immediately, then purchase if long-term need is confirmed

• The hold period starts only when you buy, not when you begin leasing

8. Plan for hold period expiry events:

• Mark calendars for when existing blocks clear the 24-month hold

• Schedule reviews 6 months before expiry to decide: sell, keep, or restructure?

• Don't let blocks clear the hold and then sit idle – that's wasted optionality

9. Consider inter-RIR transfer implications:

• ARIN has 12-month holds (for waiting list) or 12-60 months (for specified transfers)

• APNIC has 5-year holds on final /8 allocations

• If you're moving blocks between regions, understand the stacking of hold periods

10. Document your decision framework:

• Why are you choosing ownership vs leasing for this specific block?

• What would need to change for you to reverse that decision?

• Have you stress-tested the decision against the 24-month constraint?

The meta-question underlying everything: "If I knew I couldn't transfer these addresses for 24 months, would I still want them under these terms?" If the answer is anything other than a confident yes, reconsider your approach.

RIPE's 24-month hold period transforms IPv4 from a liquid asset to a semi-locked investment. For pure speculators, it's a deal-breaker. For long-term operators who were keeping the addresses anyway, it's mostly irrelevant. For everyone in between – and that's most organizations – it fundamentally changes the buy-versus-lease calculus.

Don't let yourself get trapped holding addresses you don't need for 24 months just because you didn't plan around the policy. The flexibility leasing provides isn't just a nice-to-have; in the era of 24-month holds, it's often the smarter strategic choice.

FAQ: RIPE 24-Month Hold & IPv4 Strategy

If I buy an IPv4 block today, when is the earliest I can sell it?

24 months from the date the transfer completes and is registered in the RIPE database. For example, if the transfer is recorded on February 15, 2026, you cannot initiate another transfer until February 15, 2028. The timer starts when RIPE processes the transfer, not when you sign the purchase agreement.

Does the 24-month hold apply to all types of transfers?

It applies to new allocations from RIPE's waiting list, standard transfers between LIRs, inter-RIR transfers (bringing addresses into RIPE region), and mergers and acquisitions (since 2016 policy update).

It does NOT apply to internal consolidations between LIR accounts you own under the same legal entity and operational use of the addresses (you can use them freely).

How does the hold period affect M&A transactions?

If you acquire a company that holds IPv4 addresses, those addresses become subject to a new 24-month hold period as of the acquisition date. This can complicate post-merger integration – you can't immediately transfer those addresses to your primary LIR or sell them if they're redundant.

However, if you're consolidating between multiple LIR accounts you own within the same legal entity, RIPE policies may treat this differently. The nuances matter here, so verify with RIPE or legal counsel for your specific situation.

If I lease IPv4 addresses, does the 24-month hold affect me?

Not directly. You're not the resource holder – you don't own the addresses, you're just using them under a lease agreement. The hold period applies to the lessor (the actual owner). They can't transfer the addresses during their hold period, but they CAN lease them to you.

For lessees, this is actually an advantage: you get operational use without any of the transfer restrictions or capital lock-up that ownership would impose.

Can I get around the hold period somehow?

No legitimate workaround exists, and attempting to circumvent it risks serious consequences:

• Shell companies or straw buyers are a compliance violation

• Fake M&A transactions are fraud

• Lease agreements structured to look like transfers (but avoid registration) are gray market behavior that RIPE is cracking down on

Don't do it. The risk (resource revocation, legal issues, reputational damage) far outweighs any benefit. If you need flexibility, lease instead of owning.

What happens if I absolutely must transfer during the hold period – like a forced bankruptcy liquidation?

RIPE policies have provisions for exceptional circumstances, but these are rare and heavily scrutinized. In a legitimate bankruptcy, a court-appointed receiver might be able to arrange transfer, but it's not automatic and requires extensive documentation.

For planning purposes, assume the hold is absolute and plan accordingly. Don't count on exceptions.

How do I check when my current IPv4 blocks clear the 24-month hold?

Check the RIPE database for your resources. Look at the "last-modified" date on the inetnum object for your block. The 24-month period runs from that date (assuming it was a transfer or allocation). Add 24 months, and that's your earliest transfer date.

For newer allocations/transfers, RIPE should have provided documentation showing the transaction date – use that as your starting point.

Does the hold period reset if I subdivide the block?

No. If you received a /21 and later subdivide it (splitting into smaller blocks for different purposes), the hold period is based on when you originally received the /21. Each subdivided piece carries the same hold expiry date.

You can't "refresh" or restart the timer by reorganizing your address space.