Facebook will launch its initial public offering (IPO) on May 18, with a corporate roadshow to mark the announcement beginning on Monday, May 7.

The IPO is expected to be the largest ever by an Internet-based company. The date of the launch has remained somewhat in limbo as Facebook awaited approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of the social networking site's S-1 filing, according to CNET.

The news was first reported via The Wall Street Journal's Twitter account.

Forbes contributor Darcy Travlos questioned the move, saying it might trouble Facebook's investors after reports that the company has experienced "slowing metrics" and recently acquired the photo-sharing site Instagram for $1 billion.

Facebook's roadshow, in which the company will offer a presentation to potential investors, is expected to be held in New York City, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Baltimore and Los Angeles, according to the New York Times. The first meeting will likely take place on Monday in New York at banking giant Morgan Stanley.

Watch the video for an in-depth explanation of Facebook's IPO plan:



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