Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Key Takeaways
- Figma CEO Dylan Field’s compensation plan could reach over $2 billion, linked to company valuation and share price milestones.
- The pay structure includes multi-tiered steps based on valuation targets of $15B, $20B, and $25B, with significant share unlocks at each level.
- Field owns approximately 11% of Figma, valued at about $1.6 billion, and retains control through supervoting shares post-IPO.
- The IPO and compensation strategy demonstrate Figma’s aggressive growth ambitions beyond previous acquisition offers like Adobe’s ~$20B bid.
- This deal exemplifies a trend toward long-term incentive plans modeled after tech leaders like Elon Musk, emphasizing growth and innovation.
Table of Contents
Implications for Investors and the Market
The Stakes Are Sky-High
Dylan Field, co-founder and CEO of Figma, has become one of the most talked-about figures in tech following his company’s highly anticipated IPO in 2025. Field’s compensation deal, structured similarly to Elon Musk‘s famed pay packages, could earn him up to $2 billion or more as Figma pushes for high valuation milestones[0], [1].
The Stakes Are Sky-High
Field already owns about 11% of Figma, with shares valued at approximately $1.6 billion at the low end of the IPO price range ($30 per share). Along with controlling voting rights for co-founder Evan Wallace‘s shares, Field wields significant influence over the company’s future[2].
His pay package is set up in multi-tiered tranches linked to Figma’s market capitalization and share price milestones:
- If Figma hits a $15 billion valuation for a sustained 30-day period, Field pockets shares worth approximately $52.5 million.
- Crossing a $20 billion valuation unlocks $105 million more in shares.
- Reaching a $25 billion valuation awards him $157.5 million.
Further incentives are tied to share price targets:
- Maintaining an average share price of $60 for 60 days unlocks initial tranches.
- Achieving $130 per share could net Field up to $1.9 billion in shares, valuing Figma at around $77 billion based on its share count[3].
This compensation deal features a 10-year expiry window, pushing Field to focus on the company’s long-term growth potential rather than short-term gains[3].
Why This Matters
Figma’s board demonstrated aggressive ambitions beyond earlier acquisition offers, such as Adobe‘s near-$20 billion buyout attempt in 2022. By tying Field’s pay deeply to performance targets, they signal confidence in scaling Figma to a multi-billion dollar powerhouse[0].
Field himself will cash out approximately $60 million from the IPO, but still retain vast control through supervoting shares that give him 74% of voting rights post-IPO[4]. This governance structure is critical for maintaining strategic direction amid public market pressures.
Figma’s successful IPO and Field’s extraordinary compensation signal a continued appetite in the tech sector for founder-led, high-growth companies with visionary leadership. It also highlights how incentive packages modeled after tech luminaries like Elon Musk are becoming a new standard for attracting and retaining top entrepreneurs.
Implications for Investors and the Market
– Figma’s valuation targets and Field’s pay structure could set benchmarks for future tech IPOs aiming to align executive rewards with ambitious performance goals.
– Investors should watch how Figma executes on its growth narrative and whether it achieves the lofty metrics needed to unlock Field’s full compensation.
– The passage of time will test whether long-term incentive plans effectively drive innovation and shareholder value in public markets.
In summary, Dylan Field’s $2 billion “moon shot” pay package is more than just a payday — it’s a statement of bold resolve from Figma and its leadership to reshape the future of design software at an epic scale. For industry watchers, it’s a case study in the convergence of startup ambition, governance innovation, and the evolving landscape of tech IPO rewards.
https://www.axios.com/pro/all-deals/2025/07/21/figma-ceo-incentive-package