Bitcoin Pizza Day: The Billion-Dollar History of How Laszlo Hanyecz Changed the Crypto World

Sometimes a simple impulse changes history. In May 2010, Laszlo Hanyecz, a visionary programmer, made a trade that sounded absurd at the time: 10,000 bitcoins for two pizzas. Today, in 2026, those pizzas would be worth over $700 million. This isn’t just a business anecdote—it’s a moment that forever changed the perception of cryptocurrencies as a real medium of exchange.

The First Real Bitcoin Transaction

Laszlo Hanyecz was among the first to believe that Bitcoin could be more than a theoretical experiment. On May 18, 2010, he posted on the Bitcoin forum offering 10,000 bitcoins to anyone who would send him two pizzas with toppings—spicy sausage, onions, and green peppers. Surprisingly, pineapple was already unacceptable then. Back then, Bitcoin was still a hidden dream of programmers. Most people didn’t understand its potential, and its value was almost symbolic.

Laszlo Hanyecz’s post went nearly a month without a response. Bitcoin hadn’t yet gained widespread interest, and exchanging real goods for this unknown currency sounded like a scam to most. However, on May 22, 2010, Jeremy Sturdivant, then a 19-year-old teenager, saw the post and decided. Using his credit card, he ordered two pizzas for Laszlo Hanyecz and irrevocably received 10,000 bitcoins. At that moment—when the price was about 30 cents per coin—this exchange seemed fair and satisfying to both parties.

From $30 to $700 Million

Laszlo Hanyecz shared photos of his pizzas online, collecting them as souvenirs of the first real Bitcoin transaction. The story spread from person to person, building a legend within the growing cryptocurrency community. Interestingly, at that time, 10,000 bitcoins were worth just $30, while today…

The Bitcoin price history after this transaction is a rollercoaster of rapid rises and falls. By 2013, those pizzas were worth $10 million. In 2021, when Bitcoin reached the cycle’s peak, its value hit $600 million. Now, in March 2026, with Bitcoin trading around $70,700 per coin, those pizzas are valued at around $700 million—a continually rising story of wealth.

Lesson for the Future: Two Different Attitudes Toward History

Interestingly, Laszlo Hanyecz has never expressed regret about his decision. In an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes,” he explained that at the time, Bitcoin simply seemed like digital currency from video games. Buying a pizza with it was exciting, and he mined those coins almost for free. He remained a modest programmer, not fascinated by the idea of sudden wealth.

Jeremy Sturdivant’s involvement was different. The teenager who received 10,000 bitcoins with just a few clicks quickly found a practical use for his sudden fortune. Instead of holding onto the coins, he exchanged them for cash—almost $400, more than ten times his initial investment. He spent the money on travel and daily expenses, and today, he holds only $119 worth of Bitcoin. Jeremy doesn’t regret his decision—he values having participated in a groundbreaking moment in cryptocurrency history, even if he didn’t maximize the financial gain.

Today, on Bitcoin Pizza Day (May 22), the crypto community remembers this moment as a symbol of both faith in the future of technology and reflection on time and changing values. The stories of Laszlo Hanyecz and Jeremy Sturdivant serve as a reminder that sometimes the most important transactions are not those that bring wealth but those that make history.