$1.5bn investment values Facebook at $50bn

Facebook has confirmed a $1.5bn (£940m) investment, valuing the company at about $50bn.

Earlier this month Facebook raised $500m of an anticipated $2bn funding from Goldman Sachs and other investors.

David Ebersman, Facebook's chief financial officer, said, "With this investment completed, we now have greater financial flexibility to explore whatever opportunities lie ahead."

Even before the Goldman Sachs investment, Facebook had anticipated having more than 500 shareholders at some point in 2011, and therefore expected to start filing public financial reports no later than 30 April 2012, the company said in a statement.