The verdict on Facebook’s valuation is finally out and I’m not surprised that the world’s most popular social network commands a mind bogging and whopping worth of $50 Billion Dollars! To be valued at more than Yahoo, eBay and Time Warner is a monster achievement and a massive moral victory for the social media brigade.

Last month, Facebook recently overtook Google as the most visited website in 2010. It’s well known that Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and several other tech heavyweights have time and again spilled their secret desires to acquire Facebook but Zuckerberg and company haven’t obliged.

Is it a fair valuation?

While I’m no expert on industry valuations, I can safely bet that there are fewer better names than Goldman Sachs to determine a company’s true net worth. In a move that augurs well for the overall future of social media, the Wall Street uber-bank Goldman Sachs, just pumped another $450 million in venture capital into Facebook. Apart from GS, a Russian investor is also involved in the latest round of Facebook VC funding.

I, for one, believe that Facebook is worth every cent of its valuation. To reach the coveted 50 million user mark, radio took 38 years, TV took 13 years, the web took 4 years and Facebook and Twitter have managed to do it in less than 6 months. If that doesn’t excite any VCs, nothing else can.

Facebook is already well ahead of several biggies such as Google and Yahoo when it comes to time spent on the web. Further, Facebook users are more loyal as compared to any other social network and nearly half of them login at least once every day.

Facebook critics (and there’s no shortage of them) have been quick to come up with reasons why they believe that the world’s leading social network has been overvalued. However, I strongly believe that those arguments are blown out of proportion for their own business interests.

Several others argue that it’s lofty valuation which is unsustainable. With Facebook getting progressively business-friendly, I think it’s a matter of time before the questions about profitability and sustainability would soon be a thing of the past.

Facebook is the future

Being a veteran social media loyalist and online marketer, I’ve seen the web evolve from a nascent stage to its present form. Yahoo ruled the roost in 90s and Google took over the reins in 2000s. And I have little doubt that year 2011 and next few years would be fondly remembered as the “Facebook Decade”.

Several noted economists have predicted that the world economy is gradually moving to a newer model where services will outpace manufacturing and other traditional business models. IMO, the recent Facebook valuation is a perfect example of that drastic change in global mindset.

I’m convinced that Facebook is worth the $50 Billion valuation that it has received. What about you? Please share your opinion by leaving a comment below this post.