A revolution often starts with a few small, seemingly insignificant acts. For Bitcoin‘s community, May 22 will forever be enshrined in crypto folklore as Bitcoin Pizza Day. On May 22, 2024, people around the world will celebrate the 14th anniversary of the historic first Bitcoin transaction.
It’s a feel-good story (depending on how you look at it) that reflects the original vision of Bitcoin and should bring welcome respite for those who love pizza and Bitcoin and need a break from 2022 and 2023’s Crypto Winter horrors.
On Bitcoin Pizza Day, crypto factions set aside their differences to break bread (well, pizza) and honor a Bitcoin pioneer who paid 10,000 BTC to buy 2 Papa John’s pizzas in 2010.
Now worth $658 million according to the Bitcoin Pizza Index (May 2024), the Bitcoin pizza transaction played a crucial role to prove the real-world use of crypto and help usher in the era of decentralized digital asset industries such as Web3, DeFi, NFTs and GameFi.
What is Bitcoin Pizza Day?
Bitcoin Pizza Day is the annual celebration of the first known Bitcoin transaction for a physical product. On 22 May 2010, a young US engineer and crypto enthusiast, Laszlo Hanyecz, paid a fellow user a staggering 10,000 BTC for 2 Papa John’s pizzas.
Who is the “Bitcoin Pizza Guy”?
Laszlo Hanyecs is the “Bitcoin Pizza Guy” who paid 10,000 Bitcoin for 2 pizzas (valued at $28) to Jeremy Sturdivant (jercos).
How did the Bitcoin pizza deal happen?
Laszlo Hanyecz, now forever known as “Bitcoin Pizza Guy”, made a legendary post on 18 May 2010 on the crypto website forum BitcoinTalk in which he stated he wanted to exchange 10,000 BTC for 2 pizzas. Funnily enough, it took a while for someone to take him up on his offer.