Figma’s IPO seen as victory for startup independence amid M&A scrutiny
Figma’s successful IPO has drawn praise from Lina Khan, former chair of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Khan highlighted the offering as evidence of the benefits of strong antitrust oversight, particularly the FTC’s 2022 move to block Adobe’s $20 billion acquisition of the startup. Figma debuted on the NYSE at a valuation near $18 billion, validating its independent trajectory. Khan argued that such outcomes show why regulators should continue to challenge potentially anti-competitive mergers in tech.
The IPO marks a milestone in the tech industry debate over consolidation vs. innovation—and a win for regulators pushing for greater competition.
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