Takeaways
Would you pay a billion dollars for 2 pizzas? Laszlo Hanyecz did – well, sort of.
Back in 2010, when Bitcoin was just a geeky experiment talked about in obscure forums, one hungry programmer named Laszlo Hanyecz made history by trading 10,000 BTC for two Papa John's pizzas.
At the time, it was worth around $41. Today, that’s a price tag that could buy you an entire pizza chain... or a private island with a pizza chef on call.
Welcome to Bitcoin Pizza Day – a legendary moment in crypto culture that’s celebrated every May 22nd. It’s not just about pizza; it’s a reminder of how far Bitcoin has come (and how much some people really love carbs).
The Slice That Started It All
It all began on May 22, 2010, in a forum post on bitcointalk.org. A Florida-based programmer named Laszlo Hanyecz made a simple request:
“I’ll pay 10,000 bitcoins for a couple of pizzas... like maybe two large ones so I have some left over for the next day.”
He wasn’t joking. Laszlo was serious about wanting pizza, and more importantly, he wanted to prove that Bitcoin (this new, untested digital currency) could be used for a real-world purchase.
Enter a fellow forum user who took up the offer.
He ordered two large Papa John’s pizzas for Laszlo and received 10,000 BTC in his wallet from Laszlo. At that time, Bitcoin was trading for fractions of a cent. This was the first known commercial transaction using Bitcoin – a defining moment that turned code into currency.
While the pizzas were probably pretty average, the transaction was historic.
Laszlo unknowingly baked his name into crypto history with what is now considered the most expensive pizza order of all time.
Who Got the 10,000 BTC?
The person who received the Bitcoin in exchange for the pizzas was a fellow Bitcointalk forum user named Jeremy Sturdivant, known online as “jercos.”
At the time, Jeremy was just 19 years old and also fascinated by the experimental nature of Bitcoin. When he saw Laszlo’s offer, he stepped in, used his credit card to order the two pizzas from Papa John’s, and accepted the 10,000 BTC in return.
But here’s the kicker: Jeremy didn’t HODL!
He later revealed in interviews that he spent the Bitcoin pretty quickly, as was common back then. He viewed it as digital cash meant to be circulated, not stored. He likely used it to cover travel expenses or other purchases (nothing outrageous).
“If I had treated it as an investment, I might’ve held on a bit longer,” he said years later. “But that sort of defeats the purpose of a currency.”
To be fair, no one in 2010 could’ve predicted that Bitcoin would hit tens of thousands of dollars per coin. At the time, 10,000 BTC was worth anything barely enough to raise an eyebrow.
So, Where’s Jeremy Now?
Unlike Laszlo, Jeremy didn’t stay in the spotlight. He’s worked in the tech space but kept a low profile in crypto circles.
While he missed out on becoming ultra-wealthy from that pizza trade, Jeremy is still recognized as a key figure in one of the most legendary crypto stories ever.
And like Laszlo, he played a part in proving that Bitcoin could actually work as a form of money.
It Didn’t Stop at Two Pizzas
Many people think Bitcoin Pizza Day was a one-time event.
The first transaction happened on May 22, 2010, when Laszlo Hanyecz successfully paid 10,000 BTC for two Papa John's pizzas. But what most people don’t know is that he continued buying pizza with Bitcoin multiple times after that.
In total, Laszlo reportedly spent over 100,000 BTC on pizza throughout 2010.
After that first successful transaction, he continued posting on the Bitcointalk forum, offering the same 10,000 BTC deal to anyone willing to send him pizza. In one of his replies dated May 22, 2010, he even encouraged others by saying:
“If anyone is interested I’m still looking to do the pizza deal again.”
And people responded.
Several community members took him up on his offer, delivering pizzas in exchange for large amounts of BTC. Over the next few months, Laszlo would go on to do several of these transactions, typically paying 10,000 BTC per order.
In the process, Laszlo was testing the real-world usability of Bitcoin and helping build the case for it as a medium of exchange.
At the time, there were no exchanges, no market price, and no one really knew how to spend BTC. Laszlo’s repeated pizza purchases showed the world it could be done.
By Laszlo’s own admission, he bought pizza around a dozen times using Bitcoin, which means he may have spent over 100,000 BTC (worth billions at today’s prices).
But to him, it was a contribution to a movement (not a loss).
In later interviews, he said, “I don’t regret it. I think it’s great that I got to be part of the early history of Bitcoin in that way.”
Day |
Year |
BTC Price (USD) |
Price of the 2 Pizzas (approx) |
|
May 22 |
2010 |
~$0.0041 |
$40 |
|
May 22 |
2011 |
$6.12 |
$61,000 |
|
May 22 |
2012 |
$5.10 |
$51,000 |
|
May 22 |
2013 |
$123.89 |
$1,24,000 |
|
May 22 |
2014 |
$524.58 |
$5,240,000 |
|
May 22 |
2015 |
$240.97 |
$2,400,000 |
|
May 22 |
2016 |
$439.32 |
$4,400,000 |
|
May 22 |
2017 |
$2,173.40 |
$21,700,000 |
|
May 22 |
2018 |
$8,041.78 |
$80,400,000 |
|
May 22 |
2019 |
$7,680.07 |
$76,800,000 |
|
May 22 |
2020 |
$9,182.58 |
$92,000,000 |
|
May 22 |
2021 |
$37,536.63 |
$375,000,000 |
|
May 22 |
2022 |
$30,323.72 |
$300,000,000 |
|
May 22 |
2023 |
$26,851.28 |
$269,000,000 |
|
May 22 |
2024 |
$69,122.34 |
$690,000,000 |
|
May 22 |
2025 |
~$100,000 |
$1,000,000,000 |
Fun Facts & Cheesy Trivia About Bitcoin Pizza Day
- Laszlo Was a Bitcoin OG Dev: Laszlo wasn’t just some hungry guy. He was an early Bitcoin core contributor and the first person to release the Bitcoin GPU miner in 2010, helping make mining far more efficient than CPU mining.
- The Pizzas Were From Papa John’s... Technically: The order was placed at Papa John’s, but it was done through a third party. Jeremy used his credit card to order and have them delivered to Laszlo.
- Bitcoin Pizza Day Is Celebrated Worldwide: On May 22 each year, crypto companies throw parties, give away pizzas, and run promos. In 2022, Binance gave out 5,000 pizzas globally to mark the event.
- Pizza Bought Bitcoin Back: In 2021, Papa John’s UK embraced the meme and gave away £10 worth of Bitcoin with select pizza orders, flipping the original story on its head.
- Laszlo Could’ve Bought... Literally Anything: With today’s value, Laszlo’s 100,000 BTC pizza spree could’ve bought:
- 10+ private jets ✈️
- A mega yacht 🚢
- Several mansions 🏰
- Or, you know… a lot of pizza for the rest of eternity.
- He Has No Regrets: In interviews, Laszlo always doubles down: “Some people tell me I’m crazy, but it made Bitcoin real to me.”
- Bitcoin Pizza NFTs Exist Too: Several projects have launched Bitcoin Pizza Day-themed NFTs to commemorate the event, because... of course they did.
Ideas and Tips to Celebrate Bitcoin Pizza Day
Whether you're a hardcore Bitcoiner or just here for the dough (pun intended), Bitcoin Pizza Day is the perfect excuse to mix tech, food, and fun. Here are some creative and community-driven ways to celebrate.
1. Buy Pizza With Bitcoin (Obviously!)
Use a crypto-friendly pizza place or apps like BitPay, or Lightning Network-enabled wallets to pay in BTC.
Can’t find a pizza joint that accepts crypto? Buy a gift card from services like Bitrefill or Purse.io and order away.
2. Host a Crypto Pizza Party
Invite your fellow crypto nerds and throw a pizza-themed get-together. Make it interactive – play trivia games, discuss Bitcoin stories, or recreate Laszlo’s legendary post.
Bonus points if everyone chips in using sats.
3. Join or Organize a Local Meetup
Check platforms like Luma, Meetup.com or Eventbrite for Bitcoin Pizza Day events in your city.
If there’s nothing nearby, start one! A few pizzas and passionate conversation go a long way in web3.
4. Create Memes or NFTs
Pay homage to Laszlo with your own memes, GIFs, or even NFT collections inspired by the 10,000 BTC pizza trade.
Share them on Crypto Twitter using hashtags like #BitcoinPizzaDay.
5. Do a Giveaway or Airdrop
If you’re a crypto founder or influencer, run a fun campaign – like a pizza-for-BTC contest or small token airdrop to fans who share their pizza stories.
6. Track the “Bitcoin Pizza Index”
Websites like pizza.day or BitcoinPizzaIndex show you how much those legendary pizzas are worth today.
Screenshot it, post it, and remind everyone how far we've come.
7. Educate Someone New to Bitcoin
Share the story with a friend or family member.
Use the pizza anecdote to explain what Bitcoin is and why it matters. It’s one of the most accessible and human ways to start the conversation.
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Start with Transak
To buy pizza with Bitcoin, you first need BTC.
Transak is the perfect avenue to buy BTC directly into your wallet using USD, EUR, or any other currency using your preferred payment method (Apple Pay, Credit/Debit Card, Bank Transfer, SEPA, etc.).
Unlike Laszlo, you can even start with something as small as $20 worth of BTC.
