Bitcoin Pizza Day Turns 15: $41 to $1.1 Billion in BTC

On May 22, 2010, programmer Laszlo Hanyecz made history by using 10,000 Bitcoin (BTC) to buy two Papa John’s pizzas, marking the first real-world transaction using the now-iconic cryptocurrency. At the time, Bitcoin had almost no value—those 10,000 BTC were worth just $41. Today, however, those same coins are valued at a staggering $1.1 billion, making this one of the most talked-about stories in crypto history.

The transaction was arranged via a post on Bitcointalk.org, a forum where early Bitcoin adopters gathered to share ideas and build the community. The recipient of the BTC was 19-year-old California student Jeremy Sturdivant, who accepted the offer and later used the Bitcoin to fund a road trip across the U.S. with his girlfriend. Speaking to the New York Post, Sturdivant admitted he didn’t realize Bitcoin’s future potential but remains proud of playing a role in the crypto revolution.

Hanyecz, often dubbed the "Bitcoin pizza guy," made similar trades multiple times, spending a total of 100,000 BTC on pizza in 2010. These early transactions helped demonstrate Bitcoin’s use case as a decentralized currency, paving the way for its mainstream adoption.

Now celebrated annually as Bitcoin Pizza Day, the story highlights the explosive growth of cryptocurrency from novelty to a global financial asset. As Bitcoin trades above $108,000 in 2025, the tale of two pizzas serves as both a nostalgic reminder of crypto’s humble beginnings and a powerful symbol of its massive rise in value.