$600 million for 2 pizzas? The true story of the 10,000 BTC Pizza Day

Are you one of those wondering what this BTC Pizza Day is all about? Well, your answer is right here. Now, can you spend 600 million US dollars on a meal? Like, you’re hungry and you order two large pizzas; by some twist of fate, that meal ends up costing you $600 million. Sounds impossible? Well, that’s exactly what happened on May 22, 2010, the day now celebrated as BTC Pizza Day, Bitcoin’s most delicious (and expensive) inside joke.

The hungry programmer who made history

Our story begins with Laszlo Hanyecz, a Florida-based coder who loved two things: pizza and Bitcoin. Back in 2010, Bitcoin was worth less than a penny, and Laszlo had stacks of them from mining. So, he posted this now-legendary message on a Bitcoin forum:

“I’ll pay 10,000 bitcoins for a couple of pizzas… maybe 2 large ones so I have leftovers for the next day.”

Four days later, a British Bitcoin fan named Jeremy Sturdivant took him up on the offer. Jeremy ordered two Papa John’s pizzas for Laszlo, and in return, received 10,000 BTC—a trade now worth over half a billion dollars.

The most expensive takeout in history

At the time, those 10,000 BTC were worth about $41. Today? Well, let’s just say Laszlo could buy every pizza in Florida with that kind of money.

But does he regret it? Nope!

“I don’t feel bad,” Laszlo later said. “The whole point of Bitcoin was to spend it, not hoard it like digital gold.”

(Though we bet he still gets teased about it at crypto conferences.)

Why BTC Pizza Day is trending

Before BTC Pizza Day, Bitcoin was just a nerdy experiment. This transaction proved it could actually buy real things—like cheesy, greasy, glorious pizza.

• First recorded Bitcoin purchase ever

• Turned Bitcoin from “magic internet money” into a usable currency

• 

  Created the ultimate “what if?” story in crypto

How crypto nerds celebrate BTC Pizza Day

Every year on May 22, Bitcoiners worldwide honor this iconic moment by:

• Buying pizza with Bitcoin (some even try to recreate the original trade!)

• Hosting pizza parties & Bitcoin meetups

• Posting memes of Laszlo crying over his (now) $600 million meal

Even big exchanges like Coinbase and Binance join in, offering giveaways and discounts. Because nothing says “happy BTC Pizza Day” like free crypto with your pepperoni.

Could this happen again?

Let’s be real—no one’s spending 10,000 BTC on a pizza today (unless they’re really committed to the meme). But BTC Pizza Day reminds us that in crypto, wild things can happen.

As Laszlo joked: “If people think Bitcoin will keep going up, they should be spending it now!”

The legacy of BTC Pizza Day

What started as a simple trade became Bitcoin’s funniest, most painful, and most inspiring story. Whether you see it as:

• A cautionary tale (HODL your coins!)

• A celebration (Bitcoin is real money!)

• Or just a great excuse to eat pizza

One thing’s for sure: No takeout order will ever be this legendary again.

So next May 22, grab a slice, raise a toast to Laszlo, and remember: your lunch could be worth millions someday.