Facebook valued at US$65 billion in new investment

Investment firm General Atlantic is investing in Facebook, valuing the leading social network at US$65 billion, representing a 30 percent boost from its last big investment in January, according to a report on CNBC.

General Atlantic is purchasing a block of roughly 2.5 million Facebook shares from former Facebook employees, giving the firm a 0.1 percent stake in the company, CNBC said.

The deal, which has not closed and requires approval from Facebook, would give General Atlantic a 0.1 percent stake in Facebook, according to the report.

General Atlantic declined to comment on the reports. Facebook did not immediately return requests for comment.

In January, Facebook said it had raised US$1.5 billion from investors including Goldman Sachs and Digital Sky Technologies, as well as through a private offering to overseas investors conducted by Goldman Sachs, at a valuation of roughly US$50 billion.

Facebook is the world's No.1 Internet social network with more than 500 million users.

(Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic; Editing by Bernard Orr)