On May 22, 2010, a seemingly small event took place that would go on to become a milestone in the history of Bitcoin. Laszlo Hanyecz, a programmer, made the first-ever real-world purchase using Bitcoin by buying two pizzas. At the time, Bitcoin was practically unheard of, and its value was a fraction of what it is today.
In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at why Bitcoin Pizza Day is celebrated every year, how it changed the course of cryptocurrency, and what it means for Bitcoin enthusiasts around the world. Whether you're new to Bitcoin or an experienced crypto trader, this story has a lot to reveal about how far the digital currency has come.
Bitcoin Pizza Day is celebrated every year on May 22 to mark the first-ever real-world transaction using Bitcoin. On this day in 2010, a programmer named Laszlo Hanyecz paid 10,000 BTC to buy two pizzas from Papa John’s.
At the time, 10,000 BTC was worth around $41 USD. Laszlo posted on a Bitcoin forum offering that amount to anyone who could order and deliver him two pizzas. Another user accepted the offer, placed the order, and had the pizzas delivered to Laszlo’s home in Florida, making it the first recorded purchase of a physical item using Bitcoin.
Back in 2010, Bitcoin was still in its infancy. It had no real market value, and most people didn’t even know it existed. That’s when Laszlo Hanyecz posted on a Bitcoin forum saying he'd pay 10,000 BTC to anyone who could get him 2 large pizzas delivered to his home in Florida.
Someone took him up on the offer, ordered the pizzas from Papa John’s, and received 10,000 BTC in return. At that time, the total value of those 10,000 Bitcoins was around $41 USD, just the cost of the pizzas and delivery.
Now fast forward to 2025.
Today, 1 BTC = $102,405.50 USD.
So, if you multiply that:
10,000 BTC × $102,405.50 = $1,024,055,000
That’s over $1.02 billion USD for just two pizzas. 🍕🍕
In other words, the pizzas that cost $41 in 2010 would be worth more than a billion dollars today, making it the most expensive pizza order in history.
Bitcoin Pizza Day is celebrated to honor the famous transaction on May 22, 2010, when Laszlo Hanyecz made the first-ever purchase using Bitcoin. This marked the first known instance of Bitcoin being used to buy a physical product, proving that cryptocurrency could be used as a medium of exchange rather than just being held or traded.
At the time, Bitcoin had little value, and paying 10,000 BTC (which was nearly worthless then) for two pizzas might seem absurd today. Those coins, which were worth about $41 USD back then, would now be worth tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions of dollars.
The crypto community celebrates Bitcoin Pizza Day as a lighthearted way to honor Bitcoin’s humble beginnings and reflect on its incredible evolution.
In 2010, Bitcoin was worth only a few cents. To be more specific, In 2010, Bitcoin was worth approximately $0.0041 USD per BTC. Therefore, 10,000 BTC was valued at:
10,000 BTC * 0.0041 USD/BTC = 41 USD
So, 10,000 BTC was worth about $41 USD in 2010.
Bitcoin Pizza Day is a reminder of how far cryptocurrency has come. What started as a small transaction for two pizzas has now become a symbol of Bitcoin’s incredible journey. Celebrated every year, this day honors Bitcoin’s evolution from a niche concept to a global digital currency phenomenon.
