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Figma (FIG) IPO - The Design Platform Every Designer Uses

2025-07-30
27 minutes

Figma (FIG) IPO - The Design Platform Every Designer Uses

📋 Executive Summary

Figma (NYSE: FIG) has emerged as the most watched IPO of 2025, recording nearly 40x oversubscription. As the leader in cloud-based design collaboration platforms, Figma aims for a maximum enterprise value of $18.8 billion and plans to raise approximately $1.2 billion.

🎯 Key Investment Points

Strong Growth Momentum

Market-Dominant Position

⚠️ Key Investment Risks


🔥 Why Is Figma's IPO So Hot?

The Meaning of 40x Oversubscription

The explosive interest in Figma's IPO among investors can be explained simply by numbers. Despite raising the IPO price range from the original $25-28 to $30-32 on July 28, it still recorded nearly 40x oversubscription.

This is the hottest response of 2025. Considering that Circle Internet's IPO in June recorded 20x oversubscription and surged 168% on the first day, Figma's interest level is twice as high.

IPO Details and Key Information

📅 IPO Timeline:

💼 Key IPO Data:

Potential to Become 2025's Largest IPO

The largest IPO of 2025 so far has been CoreWeave's $1.5 billion. Even if Figma raises the expected $1.2 billion, it would rank second in terms of size, but considering market interest and oversubscription multiples, it's likely to be evaluated as the most successful IPO of the year.

Particularly after tech IPOs were generally sluggish in 2023-2024, Figma's IPO is being interpreted as a signal of recovery in the tech IPO market. This reflects investors' psychology of wanting to quench their thirst for growth stocks that had been suppressed through Figma.


🏢 What Kind of Company Is Figma?

Revolutionary Force in Collaborative Design

Figma is a cloud-native design collaboration platform established in 2012. Unlike traditional individual work-focused design software, it presented a completely new paradigm centered on real-time multi-user collaboration.

The traditional design workflow was as follows:

  1. Designers work individually
  2. Share files via email or cloud
  3. Collect feedback and make revisions
  4. Complex handoff process when delivering to developers

Figma revolutionized all these processes to be handled in real-time within a single browser environment. Designers, developers, project managers, and even CEOs can simultaneously view and edit the same file while adding comments.

Core of the Business Model

Key Innovation Elements:

Revenue Model:
Figma adopts a Freemium model. Individual users or small teams start for free, but as team size grows or advanced features are needed, they convert to paid plans.

Product Ecosystem Expansion

Figma is evolving beyond a simple design tool into an integrated product development platform:

Core Product Suite:

76% of customers use 2 or more products, creating strong platform lock-in effects. This is the key driver for preventing customer churn and continuously increasing Average Customer Value (ACV).

Evidence of Market Dominance

The Adobe acquisition failure incident most clearly demonstrates Figma's market dominance. In 2022, Adobe attempted a $20 billion acquisition, but UK and EU regulators blocked it citing 'market competition harm'.

As a result, Figma:

This is official recognition by regulatory authorities that Figma is already in a monopolistic position, not just a startup.

Customer Base and Growth Drivers

Enterprise Customer Status:

Geographic Growth Potential:

This is a growth driver that can be immediately utilized by simply converting existing overseas users to paying customers without new product development. Such clear short-term growth opportunities are rare among SaaS companies, attracting investor interest.


👨‍💼 CEO Dylan Field: Visionary Who Revolutionized an Industry Before Age 30

From Entrepreneurial Spirit to $18.8 Billion Company: Starting with College Dropout

Dylan Field was born in Petaluma, California in 1992, and co-founded Figma with Evan Wallace in 2012. His entrepreneurial journey is a textbook example of a typical Silicon Valley story.

Dylan Field was studying computer science at Brown University when he received the Thiel Fellowship in 2012, receiving $100,000 in support and dropping out of college to focus on founding Figma. At age 20, he casually thought of it as "almost like independent research, but you don't get credits, it's a bit longer, and you get paid."

Early Startup Challenges:

Crisis to Opportunity: Leadership Growth

Early Figma faced a serious crisis. It took years to release the beta version, and many frustrated employees left the company. The situation became so serious that senior team members staged a 'management intervention'.

Field honestly admits: "When I started Figma, I wasn't very good as a manager. I had been an intern before. I had so much to learn. I was always very optimistic and thought the launch was right around the corner, so I didn't set expectations properly."

This crisis became a turning point for Field. He left the office for several days to reflect on himself and focused on management coaching and leadership development. Since then, he has:

Innovative Vision: Management Philosophy Pursuing 'Decades-Long Growth'

Field's management philosophy is based on a long-term perspective. He views Figma not as a simple tool but as a platform, targeting "decades-long" growth.

Core Values Field Pursues:

He expresses it this way: "At its best, Figma is an invitation to go beyond the digital extension of our physical selves and let go of the ego to create a shared consciousness with others."

Dual-Class Structure: Double-Edged Sword

Even after the IPO, Field will hold 75% voting rights. This is a concern for investors, but from his perspective, it's a necessary condition for realizing long-term vision.

Advantages of Dual-Class Structure:

Potential Risks:

Leadership and Investment Acumen Proven by Results

Field's leadership transformation has been proven by Figma's performance. He was selected for Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2015, and the company grew to receive a $20 billion Adobe acquisition proposal in 2020.

More interesting is his personal investment philosophy. When he bought CryptoPunk NFT in 2018, he thought it was "the dumbest thing I've ever done," but sold it for $7.5 million in 2021, setting the highest price record at the time. This shows his intuition for technology trends.

Currently, Field is also active as an angel investor in startups like OpenSea, Loom, Warp, and Netlify, contributing to building the next-generation technology ecosystem. His next decade is even more watched, having already revolutionized an industry in his early 30s.


🚀 Key Solutions and Platform: Entry Barriers and Future Growth Potential

Core Product Portfolio

Figma's product ecosystem has evolved beyond simple design tools into an integrated platform covering the entire product development workflow.

1. Figma Design (Core Product)

2. FigJam (Collaborative Whiteboard)

3. Dev Mode (Developer Tools)

4. Slides (Presentations)

5. Sites (Website Builder, Beta)

Building Strong Entry Barriers

1. Network Effects

Figma's strongest entry barrier is network effects. When one user uses Figma, everyone collaborating with them must also use Figma.

2. High Switching Costs

Once an organization settles on Figma, switching to another tool is very difficult:

3. Data Accumulation and AI Advantage

Figma is accumulating design data from 13 million users worldwide:

4. Developer Ecosystem Integration

Through Dev Mode, by integrating design-development workflows, Figma has become the center of the entire product development ecosystem beyond a simple design tool.

Future Growth Potential Analysis

1. TAM Expansion: Potential of $33 Billion Market

Figma estimates its Total Addressable Market (TAM) at approximately $33 billion. Considering current revenue of $821 million, this suggests over 40x growth potential remains.

Key Drivers of TAM Expansion:

2. Overseas Markets: Clear Growth Opportunity

Figma's most certain short-term growth driver is overseas market monetization:

3. AI Strategy: Converting Threats to Opportunities

According to Figma's 2025 AI report, AI tool usage among Figma users surged from 21% in 2024 to 51% in 2025.

AI Integration Strategy:

Investment Status:

4. Enterprise Customer Expansion: Power of Bottom-Up Growth

Fortune 500 Dominance:

High-Value Customer Growth:

Long-Term Growth Scenarios

Conservative Scenario (25% Annual Growth):

Base Scenario (35% Annual Growth):

Optimistic Scenario (45% Annual Growth):

Considering this growth potential and solid entry barriers, Figma is likely to become the standard for next-generation collaboration platforms beyond a simple design tool company.


💰 Financial Analysis and Investment Risk Considerations

Financial Performance: Top-Tier SaaS Company Metrics

Revenue Growth: Sustained High-Growth Momentum

Figma's revenue growth ranks among the top tier in the SaaS industry.

Annual Revenue Growth:

According to Q2 2025 preliminary results, revenue of $247-250 million represents 39-41% YoY growth continuation. Maintaining 40%+ growth for five consecutive years is a rare achievement even in the SaaS industry.

Profitability Indicators: Sound Revenue Structure

Key Profitability Metrics:

Important Interpretation Points:

Excluding one-time items, Figma is continuously improving profitability along with revenue growth.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Customer Expansion Metrics:

User Base:

132% NDR means existing customers are not only staying but paying 32% more each year. This is a key indicator showing the product's value is continuously being proven.

Financial Position: Strong Cash Holdings

Asset Status:

This strong cash position serves as 'war funds' enabling aggressive investment in AI investment, M&A, and R&D. It provides the capacity to continue stable growth investments even during economic downturns or market volatility.

Figma Key Financial Metrics Summary

Metric20232024Q1 2025Notes
Revenue ($M)504.9749.0228.246% annual growth sustained
Revenue Growth (%)-48.4%46.1%40%+ for 5 consecutive years
Gross Margin (%)91.2%88.3%90.6%Top SaaS tier
Net Income ($M)737.8*(732.1)**44.9Profitable excluding one-time items
NDR (%)-132%132%Sustained customer expansion
$100k+ Customers7331,0311,04247% YoY growth
Rule of 40-6464Industry top tier

Key Risks to Consider When Investing

1. Valuation Risk: Burden of High Expectations

Current Valuation Level:

Risk Factors:

2. Governance Risk: Founder's Absolute Power

Dual-Class Structure Issues:

Dual Nature of CEO Management Philosophy:

3. Dual Nature of AI Technology Advancement

AI as Both Opportunity and Threat:

Intensifying Competition:

4. Customer Concentration and Market Dependency Risk

Large Enterprise Customer Dependency Risk:

Market Saturation Possibility:

5. Regulatory and Policy Risks

Antitrust Concerns:

Data Privacy:

Risk vs. Return Outlook Matrix

Risk FactorProbabilityImpactMitigation Elements
Valuation AdjustmentHighHighStrong financial metrics, growth sustainability
Governance ConflictsMediumMediumCEO's proven management capability
AI Disruptive InnovationMediumHighProactive AI investment, platform expansion
Intensified CompetitionHighMediumNetwork effects, high switching costs
Growth Rate DecelerationMediumHighOverseas expansion, new product launches

Investment Decision Considerations

Investment Suitability:

Investment Timing:

Figma's financial foundation is certainly solid, but investment decisions should be made after careful review of high valuation and structural risks.


🏟️ Competitive Analysis and Valuation Analysis

Design Tool Market Transformation: Adobe's Decline and Figma's Rise

The design software market has been completely reorganized over the past five years. Currently, Figma holds 40.65% market share in the design software industry, significantly ahead of competitors like Adobe XD and InVision.

This is a remarkable change. Considering Figma's market share was less than 20% in 2018, it has emerged as the market leader in just seven years. Meanwhile, Adobe XD announced development discontinuation, effectively exiting the market.

Major Competitor Analysis: Respective Limitations and Figma's Advantages

1. Adobe XD: Effective Surrender Declaration

Adobe XD can no longer be purchased as an independent application, with only continued support for existing users. This means Adobe has effectively given up competing with Figma.

2. Sketch: Limitations of Mac-Only

Sketch only works on macOS and doesn't natively support Windows. This is a fatal disadvantage in global enterprise environments.

3. Canva: Different Market Target

Canva has a differentiated position targeting general users rather than professional UI/UX designers.

Overwhelming Advantage in Collaboration Features

Figma's real-time collaboration features are still overwhelming compared to competitors. The ability for designers, developers, and project managers to simultaneously edit the same file and add comments has changed 'design handoff' to 'design hangout'.

Collaboration Features Comparison:

FeatureFigmaAdobe XDSketchCanva
Real-time Simultaneous Editing Perfect Limited Added 2021, paid only Basic
Web-based Access Fully web Desktop-focused Mac only Fully web
Developer Handoff Dev Mode⚠️ Basic⚠️ Plugin required Insufficient
Version Control Automatic⚠️ Creative Cloud Strong⚠️ Basic
Community Features Active None⚠️ Limited Template-focused

Figma's Dominance in Market Share Data

Figma's share in the design software market is 40.65%, significantly ahead of second-place competitors. Particularly in the information technology services sector, 12,842 companies use Figma, accounting for 19% of all users.

Usage by Company Size:

Regional Market Dominance:

Meaning of Adobe Acquisition Failure: Market Dominance Recognized by Regulators

Adobe's $20 billion acquisition proposal in 2022 being blocked by regulators is an official recognition of Figma's market dominance. UK and EU regulators blocked the acquisition citing "market competition harm," suggesting Figma is already in a monopolistic position.

Results of Acquisition Failure:


💰 SaaS Industry Valuation Comparison

Valuation Benchmark Analysis

Figma's IPO price-based revenue multiple (P/S) of 17-20x may seem high, but it's reasonable compared to top-tier SaaS companies.

Major SaaS Company Valuation Comparison:

CompanyP/S MultipleRevenue GrowthNDRMarket PositionProfitability
Figma17-20x46%132%Market DominatorTurned Profitable
Atlassian9.1x~25%120%+Collaboration Tool LeaderExcellent Profitability
Smartsheet6.3x~25%129%Work Management LeaderImproving Profitability
Datadog15-18x30%+130%+Monitoring LeaderExcellent Profitability
Snowflake12-15x35%+158%Data WarehouseImproving Profitability
ServiceNow11-13x25%+115%+IT Service LeaderExcellent Profitability

Growth Rate vs. Valuation: Rule of 40 Analysis

Rule of 40 is a metric combining SaaS company growth rate and profitability, with 40+ considered excellent.

Major Company Rule of 40 Comparison:

CompanyGrowth RateOperating MarginRule of 40Rating
Figma46%18%64 pointsExcellent
Atlassian25%20%45 pointsGood
Smartsheet25%8%33 pointsFair
Datadog32%15%47 pointsGood
Snowflake36%2%38 pointsFair

Figma's Rule of 40 score of 64 points is industry top-tier.

Figma's Unique Premium Elements

1. Network Effects and Platform Monopoly Power

2. Sustained High Growth and Profitability Improvement

3. TAM Expansion Potential

Valuation Appropriateness Analysis

Fair Price Range Estimates:

ScenarioP/S MultipleTarget PriceRationale
Conservative15x$28-30Discount vs. Atlassian
Base17-20x$30-32Current IPO Price
Optimistic22-25x$35-40Market monopoly premium

In the case of Smartsheet and Atlassian, while showing similar revenue growth rates, Smartsheet's P/S ratio is half that of Atlassian. This shows the market evaluates each company's market dominance and growth potential differently.

If Figma receives the same P/S multiple as Atlassian, a simple calculation suggests the stock price could rise to about $120. While this is a simple comparison not considering other factors, it suggests Figma's upside potential.

Investment Attractiveness vs. Industry Peers

Competitive Comparison from Investment Perspective:

FactorFigmaAtlassianSmartsheetDatadog
Market Dominance
Growth Rate
Profitability
Entry Barriers
Valuation

Conclusion: Premium Valuation but Justifiable

Figma's 17-20x P/S multiple is certainly high, but can be justified considering the following factors:

Justification Elements:

  1. Market-Monopolistic Position: 40.65% market share and Adobe acquisition blocked
  2. Sustainable High Growth: 46% growth rate and Rule of 40 score of 64 points
  3. Strong Profitability: 90%+ gross margin and 132% NDR
  4. Massive Growth Potential: 40x TAM vs. current and overseas expansion opportunities

Cautions:

Therefore, investors should recognize Figma's excellent corporate quality and growth potential while establishing investment strategies that fully consider valuation risks.


🎯 Conclusion: Figma IPO Investment Decision Guide

It's Certainly a Big Fish IPO

As the 40x oversubscription shows, the market has already recognized Figma's value. However, the correspondingly raised expectations have pushed up the IPO price, creating both opportunities and risk factors for investors.

Reconfirming Figma's Essential Strengths

Clear Competitive Advantages:

Diversified Growth Drivers:

Risks That Must Be Endured

Structural Risks:

Final Investment Judgment

Recommended Investment Strategy:

Investment StyleRecommended WeightInvestment MethodTarget Period
Aggressive Growth5-10%IPO participation + additional purchases3-7 years
Balanced Growth2-5%Phased purchases after listing5-10 years
Conservative Value1-2%Small purchases during corrections10+ years

Core Investment Logic:

  1. Market Dominance: Monopolistic position recognized even by regulators
  2. Growth Sustainability: Momentum of 40%+ growth for 5 consecutive years
  3. Profitability Improvement: Operating profit improvement from 90%+ gross margin
  4. Expansion Potential: 40x TAM, 32%p overseas monetization gap

Warning Signals to Watch:

Post-Listing Stock Price Scenarios

First Trading Day Expectations:

6-Month Outlook:

1-3 Year Long-term Outlook:

Pre-Investment Decision Checklist

Financial Factors:

Market Factors:

Management Factors:

Final Advice: Time for Cool-Headed Judgment

Figma is certainly an excellent company. It created a new market called collaborative design, dominates that market, and has ample room for future growth. However, good companies and good investments are separate matters.

Points to Consider at This Time:

Supporting Arguments:

Opposing Arguments:

Conclusion

Figma's IPO will be a touchstone for the 2025 tech IPO market. If successful, it will signal the revival of the stagnant tech IPO market; if it fails, it will further strengthen market wariness about high valuations.

Figma is certainly a company that will play an important role in the digital future we'll live in. However, how much to pay now for that future value will vary according to each person's investment philosophy and situation.

Final Word: While Figma being a good company is certain, whether we can buy it at a good price remains unknown. Wise investors should distinguish between corporate value and stock price when making judgments.


This is not financial advice, and all investment decisions are the responsibility of the investor.

This analysis is for investment reference only, and investment decisions should be made based on individual judgment and responsibility. IPO investments particularly involve high volatility and risks, requiring careful review.