Facebook is hoping to raise $5 billion in an initial public offering of stock. It would be the largest IPO ever for an Internet company.
Here are the top 10 so far, according to Renaissance Capital, an IPO investment adviser:
Google Inc., IPO on Aug. 18, 2004, $1.67 billion raised.
Yandex N.V., IPO on May 23, 2011, $1.3 billion raised.
Infonet Services Corp. (now part of BT Group PLC), IPO on Dec. 15, 1999, $1.08 billion raised.
Shanda Games Ltd., IPO on Sept. 24, 2009, $1.04 billion raised.
Zynga Inc., IPO on Dec. 15, 2011, $1 billion raised.
Giant Interactive Group Inc., IPO on Oct. 31, 2007, $887 million raised.
Renren Inc., IPO on May 3, 2011, $743 million raised.
Groupon Inc., IPO on Nov. 3, 2011, $700 million raised.
Orbitz Worldwide Inc., IPO on July 19, 2007, $510 million raised.
barnesandnoble.com (now part of Barnes & Noble Inc.), IPO on May 24, 1999, $450 million raised.
Note: Public trading typically begins the day after the IPO. Amounts reflect what's raised both by companies and their early investors and do not include extra shares known as overallotment, which are set aside to meet heavy demand.
Source: Renaissance Capital