Heficed last week launched what the network infrastructure solutions provider is describing as a game-changing platform within the field of IPv4 addresses – the IP Address Market. The platform lets businesses and organisations to monetise their IPv4 address resources by merely listing them, while lessees can easily choose the needed IPv4 addresses and lease them in a simplified and secure way.

The new platform replaces what was Heficed’s main product, Switch, aims at increasing transparency of the IPv4 market space, and it starts with transparent pricing.

“Our new platform will offer a transparent way of monetising and leasing IP addresses,” said Vincentas Grinius, CEO of Heficed. “IP registrants do get charged a commission fee, but it is always visible what percentage goes to them, and what part of the price is the commission. Those listing their resources are only charged when a transaction is successful.”

Currently, the Internet is experiencing IPv4 address shortages. Most of the Regional Internet Registries (RIRs), the entities governing IP address allocation processes in different continents, have exhausted their pools of IPv4s to allocate.

IPv4 addresses, originally a free resource, have become a commodity and a strategic asset for businesses because a single IPv4 address in the second-hand market now costs around twenty dollars. However, the market is hardly regulated and scattered throughout countless IP address brokers, leading to murky practices and pricing.

Users of Heficed’s IP address market are able to set their listing price, but the platform will suggest a likely price range, too, which is based on the current market situation. This way, Heficed hopes to level the playing field for everyone having IPv4 resources to lease, empowering organisations that have pools of unused IP addresses but lack the know-how or time to monetise them.

Only organisations can do business on the IP Address Market, and this is one of the anti-abuse safeguards present within the platform. Additionally, entities joining the platform will go through the verification process. Before being approved for listing on the platform, the ownership of each IP address is also verified – either with RPKI (Resource Public Key Infrastructure) or LoA (Letter of Authorisation). A dedicated Abuse Management team works to ensure no IPv4s are being misused for spam or over illicit activities, while Halon and Abusix are used as anti-spam filters. If a user wishes to use the IPs on their own infrastructure, they will only be able to do so with pre-approved IP transit providers who support RADb.com.

“Organisations using our platform can rest assured their IPs will remain clean while they are on our network,” added Grinius. “Preventing the abuse of IPs is our priority, and we have taken extensive measures to protect the resources of our clients. The abuse report system is present and straightforward to use, while we are transparent about our reaction time when reacting to abuse or spam reports.”

The new platform is open for IP address brokers to list their resources, too. While the brokers are selling the IPs via their own channels, they can also list the same resources on the market and lease it for a specific time to make extra commissions.

For more information on the Heficed IP-Address Market, click here.