On May 22, 2010, a programmer named Laszlo Hanyecz used 10,000 bitcoins (now worth $10 billion) to buy two pizzas, which is considered the first economic transaction of Bitcoin. Since then, in order to commemorate this "Bitcoin pizza transaction", the Bitcoin community has designated May 22 of each year as Bitcoin Pizza Day. Looking back now, this may be the "most expensive pizza in history", but the story behind it is full of legends and inspiration.

The origins of Pizza Day

Back on May 18, 2010, a Florida programmer named Laszlo Hanyecz posted a message on the Bitcoin forum:

“I want to use 10,000 bitcoins to buy two large pizzas. You can make them yourself or order them for me. The pizzas should preferably have some spicy sausage, onions, green peppers… I don’t want pineapple.”

At that time, Bitcoin had just come out and almost no one knew what it was used for, let alone using it to trade things. Laszlo's proposal was watched by netizens, but it did not attract much interest. Some people thought that Bitcoin had no practical value, and most of the people who were willing to help him buy pizza were not in the United States, so the transaction could not be completed.

It wasn’t until four days later that a 19-year-old from California named Jeremy Sturdivant finally accepted the offer. He used his credit card to order two pizzas for Laszlo and then received the 10,000 bitcoins.

Laszlo happily shared the pizza photo on the forum, and lamented that this was the "first real transaction" of Bitcoin. He successfully exchanged virtual currency for a "real" lunch.

The most expensive pizza in the world

At the time, 10,000 bitcoins were worth about $30, so Laszlo didn’t seem to have suffered a loss. However, as the price of bitcoin soared, the value of the two pizzas also rose:

  • In 2013, when Bitcoin broke through $1,000 for the first time, that pizza was worth more than $10 million.

  • In 2021, Bitcoin reached a high of $60,000, and the value of that pizza reached $600 million.

  • In 2024, Bitcoin is almost $100,000, and that pizza is worth $1 billion.

Today, this lunch has become an unsurpassed "meme" in the cryptocurrency world, and everyone commemorates this history on "Pizza Day" every year.

The protagonist's opinion

Laszlo Hanyecz has no regrets about "eating $600 million". He admitted in an interview that at the time he thought Bitcoin was like virtual currency in video games, and it was cool to be able to use it to buy something. He also revealed that after this transaction, he used Bitcoin to buy more pizza, spending a total of about 100,000 Bitcoins (about $10 billion at current prices).

Laszlo has always been optimistic: "Those bitcoins were the 'free' currency I mined with my graphics card at the time. It was quite cost-effective to exchange them for some pizza." He did not feel lost for missing the opportunity to get rich, nor did he hype himself in public. He still lived a low-key life as a programmer.

Another young seller's story

Jeremy Sturdivant, the teenager who completed the transaction with Laszlo, also had his own opinion. At that time, he quickly spent the 10,000 bitcoins he received on travel and living expenses. In his words, "10,000 bitcoins finally made me $400, which is 10 times the profit, which is a very cost-effective deal."

Although there is only $119 worth of Bitcoin left in his wallet, he has no regrets. He feels that being an early consumer of Bitcoin and witnessing its history is meaningful in itself.

The inspiration behind the legend

Laszlo and Jeremy's story tells us that life is full of choices, and sometimes you may accidentally participate in events that change history. Despite their brush with huge wealth, the two still maintain a positive and optimistic attitude and enjoy their lives.

It's like that line in Forrest Gump: "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get."

When celebrating Pizza Day, we are not only remembering the "most expensive pizza in history", but also commemorating the initial belief and attempt in the history of cryptocurrency. This is a spirit of exploration of the unknown future, and it is also the most valuable part of the cryptocurrency culture.