China Targets 950 Million IPv6 Users by 2030 in New Innovation Plan

China aims to reach 950 million active IPv6 users by 2030, according to the “Implementation Plan for Deepening Technical Innovation and Integrated Application of Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) (2026–2030),” as reported by People’s Daily Online on July 21, 2026. The plan, issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), outlines a strategic transition to the latest internet protocol to support expanding network addresses and new application ecosystems.

The CAC’s directive focuses on shifting the country’s digital infrastructure from the older IPv4 standard to IPv6. This transition is designed to resolve the shortage of IP addresses and enable the integration of more devices into the national network, which is essential for the growth of industrial internet and smart city initiatives.

CAC targets IPv6 expansion in financial institutions

A specific component of the broader strategy involves the financial sector. The CAC issued a separate “Implementation Plan for Deepening IPv6 Innovative Applications in Financial Institutions,” according to reports from Sina Finance and First Financial. This targeted plan requires financial entities to upgrade their network architectures to ensure stability and security during the transition to IPv6.

The financial sector’s adoption is critical because these institutions manage high volumes of sensitive data and require high-availability network connections. By implementing IPv6, financial firms can utilize a vastly larger pool of IP addresses, reducing reliance on Network Address Translation (NAT) and improving end-to-end connectivity for digital banking services.

Strategic goals for the 2026–2030 period

The 2026–2030 implementation plan establishes a framework for “open innovation” and the construction of a comprehensive application system. According to the CAC, the government will prioritize the following areas to meet the 950 million user target:

• Strengthening the cultivation of specialized technical talent to manage the IPv6 transition.
• Increasing public awareness and promotional efforts to encourage adoption across different industries.
• Developing new application scenarios that can only be fully realized through the expanded addressing capabilities of IPv6.
• Fostering a “fusion” environment where IPv6 integrates with other emerging technologies to drive industrial upgrades.

The plan emphasizes a shift from basic connectivity to “integrated application,” meaning the goal is not just to have IPv6-enabled devices, but to ensure that software and services are natively designed for the protocol to unlock new business efficiencies.

Context of China’s network address transition

The transition to IPv6 is a long-term objective for China’s digital economy. The current 2026–2030 plan follows previous efforts under the “14th Five-Year Plan” to modernize the nation’s internet backbone. The move is driven by the exhaustion of IPv4 addresses, which limited the number of unique identifiers available for the billions of smartphones and IoT devices entering the Chinese market.

By targeting 950 million active users by 2030, the CAC is attempting to standardize the digital landscape. This allows for more seamless communication between devices in the “Industrial Internet of Things” (IIoT), where factories and logistics hubs require unique IP addresses for every sensor and machine to operate without the bottlenecks associated with IPv4.

The coordination between the CAC and financial regulators suggests that the government views the network protocol upgrade as a matter of national economic security and infrastructure resilience, rather than a simple technical update.