How many members did LinkedIn have when it went public in 2011?

LinkedIn had 100 million members when it went public in 2011. The company reached that milestone on March 22, 2011, shortly before its May 19 initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange.

That figure represented registered professionals worldwide, not necessarily monthly active users. LinkedIn said its membership spanned more than 200 countries and territories, with about 56 million members—roughly 56% of the total—outside the United States.

The milestone was especially notable because LinkedIn had launched only in May 2003. Its growth accelerated rapidly: the company reported adding roughly one million members per week in early 2011. By the time of its IPO, contemporary filings and reports placed membership above 100 million, while later that year LinkedIn reported more than 130 million members.

A common mix-up is confusing the 100-million membership milestone with the IPO itself. LinkedIn did not reach 100 million on the day trading began; it announced the milestone about two months earlier. Its IPO priced shares at $45, and the stock traded under the symbol LNKD.