Why the Crypto World Still Celebrates Bitcoin Pizza Day
What if your lunch one day ended up costing you over $1 Billion? For one Florida-based developer, that question isn’t hypothetical—it’s history. Every year on May 22, the global crypto community gathers around its digital campfire to honor the day that marked Bitcoin’s first real-world use case: buying two pizzas.
This simple act of indulgence did more than feed a hungry coder. It signaled the beginning of Bitcoin’s transformation from an obscure software experiment into a functioning currency. Welcome to Bitcoin Pizza Day—where memes meet milestones.
A Slice That Changed the World
Bitcoin Pizza Day commemorates one of the first highly publicized commercial transactions using Bitcoin. On May 22, 2010, Laszlo Hanyecz paid 10,000 BTC for two large pizzas from Papa John’s. At the time, the coins were worth roughly $41. Today, they’d be valued at well over $1.1 Billion.
Hanyecz made the offer in a BitcoinTalk forum, and a fellow user in the UK took him up on it—placing the order on Hanyecz’s behalf. The transaction wasn’t just a novelty; it was a milestone. It proved that Bitcoin could be exchanged for tangible goods and services.
“I’ll pay 10,000 bitcoins for a couple of pizzas… like maybe 2 large ones so I have some left over for the next day.”
Laszlo’s request wasn’t just about food—it was about testing an idea. Could Bitcoin actually be used to buy something real? His post read like someone ordering room service—he even specified toppings (no weird fish, please) and just wanted someone else to handle the logistics.
Before Pizza Day, Bitcoin was an idea. After Pizza Day, it became a currency. That one transaction validated the vision of peer-to-peer digital money and set the stage for what we now call crypto adoption.
The Transaction That Made History
It wasn’t an instant deal. Several days passed before anyone took Laszlo seriously. Then, on May 22, 2010, a 19-year-old forum user named Jeremy Sturdivant—known online as “jercos”—replied to the post. He agreed to buy the pizzas and have them delivered to Laszlo’s home in Florida.
Using a credit card, Jeremy placed the order with Papa John’s. Ironically, the restaurant never received a single satoshi—just fiat.
The transaction was completed. The pizzas were delivered. And the deal was sealed—on-chain, publicly recorded, and irrevocably cemented into crypto history.
Bitcoin Pizza Day was born.
The Man Who Bought, and the Teen Who Delivered
Laszlo Hanyecz is often portrayed as the man who “lost” hundreds of millions of dollars on a pizza order. But his perspective has always remained grounded: he has no regrets.
“It wasn’t like Bitcoins had any value back then,” he later explained. “It was incredibly cool.”
His decision helped transition Bitcoin from theory to function. He showed the world that digital code could act like real money—and that was priceless.
And Jeremy? The teenager who received the 10,000 BTC? He reportedly spent the coins shortly after—on travel and video games. “Hodling” wasn’t a thing yet. Back then, Bitcoin wasn’t seen as digital gold. It was more like internet money with potential.
The Cult Culture and Celebration
Bitcoin Pizza Day has become an annual tradition. Around the world, crypto enthusiasts host pizza-themed meetups, giveaways, and even NFT drops to mark the moment.
Exchanges like Binance and Crypto.com launch limited-time promotions, while Twitter threads and crypto forums light up with memes and stories about the transaction that started it all.
Hashtags like #BitcoinPizzaDay and #BTC4Pizza trend every year, uniting veterans and newcomers alike in a nostalgic celebration of absurdity, vision, and belief.
Other Legendary Bitcoin Losses
Pizza Day isn’t the only tale of lost BTC with jaw-dropping value today. The history of crypto is filled with similar legends:
- James Howells famously threw out a hard drive containing 8,000 BTC—now worth over $800 million. He’s still trying to excavate it from a landfill in Wales.
- Mt. Gox, the infamous exchange, lost over 850,000 BTC to hackers, shaking investor confidence for years.
- Early adopters routinely spent BTC on Amazon gift cards, electronics, and even socks—purchases that now seem wildly extravagant in hindsight.
These stories, like Pizza Day, are reminders of how far Bitcoin has come—and how much has been sacrificed along the way.
Final Thoughts: From Pizza to Powerhouses
Bitcoin Pizza Day is more than a quirky footnote. It’s a celebration of vision, risk, and progress. It reminds us of the grassroots community that powered Bitcoin’s rise—before institutional investors, before regulations, and before billion-dollar valuations.
Today, Pizza Day anchors the crypto world to its humble beginnings. It’s a moment to reflect on the absurd beauty of experimentation, the courage of early adopters, and the power of small acts with massive impact.
So whether you’re hodling, trading, or just here for the memes—on May 22, grab a slice and remember: sometimes, the most expensive decisions are the ones that make history.
