Bitcoin Pizza Day: The Story Of The Most Expensive Pizza

Did you know that two Papa John’s pizzas could cost almost a billion dollars? Hard to believe, right? But if you’re familiar with the Bitcoin Pizza story, it probably doesn’t sound as crazy. Why so? Let’s figure it out.

10,000 Bitcoin Pizza

Bitcoin Pizza Day, celebrated annually on May 22, marks the first real-world transaction using Bitcoin, which occurred in 2010 when Laszlo Hanyecz paid 10,000 BTC for two pizzas in Jacksonville, Florida. At the time, one Bitcoin was worth around $0.0041, meaning the pizzas cost about $41. However, with BTC’s extraordinary growth, those 10,000 Bitcoins are now worth over $820 million in 2025.

The transaction, which is still visible on the blockchain under the hash a1075db55d416d3ca199f55b6084e2115b9345e16c5cf302fc80e9d5fbf5d48d, was a crucial moment, as it was the first tangible Bitcoin purchase. Before this event, BTC had never been used to buy something physical, which is why Bitcoin Pizza Day is still celebrated.

Laszlo Hanyecz: The Man Who Bought The Pizza

As for what happened to Laszlo Hanyecz after the famous pizza transaction, he is often seen as a key figure in the early days of Bitcoin. Hanyecz has been quoted as saying that he doesn’t regret the purchase, even though the value of Bitcoin has grown exponentially, as he views it as a small price to pay for contributing to Bitcoin’s history.

Even though Laszlo became famous for Bitcoin, it’s unclear if he still has any. He has stated in a number of interviews that he has sold some of his Bitcoin throughout the years, but he has not specified the amount or the timing of the sale. Although he doesn't seem to have kept a significant quantity of Bitcoin from that transaction, he is typically regarded as someone who helped create the coin.

The Impact On Bitcoin’s History

The history of Bitcoin has been significantly impacted by Pizza Day, both as a cultural turning point within the crypto community and as a development of the cryptocurrency as a digital asset. Here’s a summary of how it affected the development of the token:

1. Bitcoin's first real-world transaction. This illustrated Bitcoin's potential as a payment method, taking it from abstract ideas to real-world applications. Even though there was not much of a community at the time and the coin was worth very little, it was the first step in turning Bitcoin from an academic idea into a functional currency.

2. Bitcoin's value explosion. The 10,000 BTC that Hanyecz spent on the pizzas has come to represent the remarkable increase in value of Bitcoin over the years. The episode is a noteworthy element of Bitcoin's history because the asset's market price has skyrocketed in subsequent years, making the $41 paid for pizza now worth millions of dollars.

3. Cultural symbol of Bitcoin's humble beginnings. The community commemorates Pizza Day annually to consider how far Bitcoin has progressed and how it began as such an unusual and, in retrospect, low-cost use case. The Bitcoin community frequently uses the day as a reminder of the contributions made by early adopters like Hanyecz to the development of the cryptocurrency.

4. Bitcoin’s psychological value. The fact that Hanyecz’s purchase has become so iconic symbolizes the early struggles, the risks of investing in something new, and the unpredictable nature of crypto. As Bitcoin gained value, the Pizza Day story became a reminder to both early adopters and later investors of the volatility and potential for profit that cryptocurrencies carry.

5. Bitcoin's connection with other cryptocurrencies. The success and rise of Bitcoin have paved the way for other digital currencies. The use of BTC for a real-world transaction helped showcase the concept of decentralized currency to a wider audience, contributing to the creation of a larger crypto ecosystem.

So, Pizza Day has allegedly become more of a symbol than an actual event: a symbol of the ever-changing crypto space capable of anything—even growing from $41 to over $820 million in the price for one token. As long as the community keeps on growing and trusting the digital finance world, the Pizza Day will be celebrated yearly.

What do you think of this story? Would you regret buying those two pizzas knowing the current BTC price? Let’s chat in the comments below!