Figma Is Going Public: What Designers & Investors Need to Know About the IPO of the Decade

Figma Is Going Public: What Designers & Investors Need to Know About the IPO of the Decade

A Defining Moment for Design and Tech

Figma has become a creative force behind today’s most innovative products—and now it’s taking its next bold step with an Initial Public Offering (IPO). If you’re a UX or UI designer, this isn’t just a Wall Street headline—it’s a reflection of the value of design in the digital age.

And if you’re an investor looking to enter a high-growth software space, Figma’s public debut represents one of the most exciting opportunities of 2025.

In this guide, you’ll discover:

  • What Figma is and how it became a leader in product design

  • The full suite of tools like FigJam, Slides, and AI Make

  • How to buy Figma stock using Robinhood and other brokers

  • A breakdown of their S-1 financials, growth, and recent losses

  • The story behind Adobe’s failed acquisition

  • What to expect from employee shares, lock-up periods, and insider selling

This post is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.

The Backstory: How Figma Started and Why It Changed Everything

Figma was born in 2012 when Dylan Field and Evan Wallace set out to create design software that worked like the internet itself—accessible, collaborative, and instant.

Armed with a Thiel Fellowship and a vision for democratizing design, they developed Figma to solve what most tools lacked at the time: real-time teamwork, cross-platform accessibility, and seamless browser access.

The result? The world’s first cloud-based UI design platform, which quickly scaled to power millions of workflows across the globe.

Meet the Figma Product Family

Figma isn’t just one tool anymore. It’s a platform built for the entire product creation lifecycle—from concept to code.

Figma (2015)

The original browser-first UI/UX design app.

  • Smart components, auto layout, and shared libraries

  • Real-time editing across teams

  • Used by designers, developers, and product managers alike

FigJam (2021)

A collaborative whiteboard made for design thinking.

  • Perfect for brainstorming, research synthesis, or team retros

  • Includes stickers, voting, and diagramming tools

  • Figma-native and fully integrated

Dev Mode (2023)

Built for dev handoffs and frontend accuracy.

  • Extracts code-ready values

  • Offers simplified dev views

  • Bridges the gap between design and engineering

Figma Slides (2025)

A new way to create and present directly inside Figma.

  • Collaborative slide decks without exporting

  • Live team editing during presentations

  • Connected to design systems and UI kits

Figma Draw (2025)

Hand-drawn UX meets digital clarity.

  • Sketch ideas with a stylus or mouse

  • Great for early mockups or storyboarding

  • Pairs well with FigJam or Slides

Figma Sites (2025)

A no-code site builder powered by design.

  • Publish live websites straight from your Figma files

  • Manage mobile responsiveness and metadata easily

  • Launch landing pages, portfolios, and product sites

Figma Buzz (2025)

An internal messaging tool built for designers.

  • Centralizes comments, change requests, and feedback

  • Reduces dependency on Slack or email

  • Great for keeping cross-functional teams aligned

Figma Make (AI, 2025)

Generate layouts and flows using AI prompts.

  • Create wireframes from text instructions

  • Get design suggestions based on your workflow

  • Built to support—not replace—designers

Why Figma Is Growing Beyond Adobe XD and Sketch

Market Dominance:

Figma is now the #1 design tool for product teams across industries.

  • Over 4 million monthly active users

  • Adopted by 87% of top-funded startups

  • Used by Google, Netflix, Uber, Stripe, and Microsoft

By comparison:

  • Adobe XD usage continues to decline (under 10%)

  • Sketch remains mostly in freelance and Mac-only teams (<5%)

Why Designers Are Switching:

  • No installs. Just a link.

  • Superior live collaboration

  • Integrated tools = no third-party plugins needed

  • Faster feedback loops and dev handoffs

The Numbers Behind the IPO: Figma’s Financial Story

Figma’s S-1 registration statement reveals steady, fast-paced growth with some strategic losses in 2024.

Revenue Performance:

  • 2021: $140M

  • 2022: $270M

  • 2023: $468M (net profit: $25M)

  • 2024: $582M (net loss: $33M)

Why the Loss in 2024?

The net loss wasn’t a sign of weakness—it was a result of:

  • Heavy investment into AI and new product launches

  • Growing headcount and operational infrastructure

  • Increased marketing after Adobe’s failed acquisition

Buying Figma Stock: How to Get In

Figma is expected to list on the NASDAQ under the ticker FIGM, with the IPO launching in Fall 2025.

Here’s how to buy shares:

On Robinhood:

  1. Download the Robinhood app and sign up

  2. Search for FIGM when it goes live

  3. Choose how many shares you want to buy

  4. Execute at market price or set a limit order

You can also use E*TRADE, Fidelity, Webull, and other brokers.

Lock-Up Period and Insider Selling

As with many tech IPOs, there is a 180-day lock-up period after the listing. This means:

  • Early employees and executives can’t sell shares for 6 months

  • Expect potential volatility when this period ends in 2026

  • Figma insiders are expected to hold large equity stakes

Why Adobe Couldn’t Acquire Figma

In 2022, Adobe tried to buy Figma for $20 billion—but regulators stepped in.

The U.S. Department of Justice and European Commission blocked the deal due to antitrust concerns:

  • It would reduce competition in the design software market

  • Figma was Adobe XD’s primary competitor

  • The deal risked harming innovation in UI/UX tools

Figma walked away and doubled down on product innovation—ultimately setting the stage for its IPO.

Final Thoughts: Should You Invest or Just Use Figma?

If you’re a UX designer, Figma is already shaping how you work.

If you’re an investor, you’re looking at a company with strong fundamentals, loyal users, and cross-industry relevance.

Either way, Figma’s IPO represents more than numbers—it’s about the value of creativity in the tech economy.

Do your research. This isn’t financial advice. But it’s clear: Figma is just getting started.



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