The 10,000 BTC Pizzas
On May 22, 2010, programmer Laszlo Hanyecz famously exchanged 10,000 bitcoin (BTC) for two pizzas, in the first known real‑world purchase using bitcoin. The day is commemorated annually as Bitcoin Pizza Day.
“Est. USD Then” uses an approximate historical estimate for 2010‑05‑22 (~$0.0041/BTC ≈ $41 total), as public free APIs restrict full historical access. Early markets were thin; figures are approximate.
Wikipedia‑Style Summary
Bitcoin Pizza Day refers to the first documented real‑world transaction using the cryptocurrency bitcoin, when Florida‑based programmer Laszlo Hanyecz posted to an online forum offering 10,000 BTC for two pizzas. Another user facilitated the purchase from a local pizza chain and delivered the food in exchange for the coins. The event is widely cited as a milestone demonstrating bitcoin’s utility as a medium of exchange in its early days.
The purchase occurred on 22 May 2010. At the time, bitcoin traded informally for a fraction of a cent to a few tenths of a cent per coin on nascent markets. As bitcoin’s adoption and market value grew in subsequent years, the notional cost of the pizzas—in terms of U.S. dollars—became a popular reference point for illustrating bitcoin’s price appreciation and the concept of opportunity cost.
Note: This page is a narrative summary with live data components; it is not an official Wikipedia article.
Laszlo Hanyecz
Laszlo Hanyecz (known online as “laszlo”) made the first documented purchase of a good using bitcoin when he bought two Papa John’s pizzas from user jercos for 10,000 BTC. Hanyecz had contributed code to Bitcoin’s open‑source project prior to the purchase.
Pizza
On May 17, 2010, laszlo posted an offer to buy pizza with bitcoin. On May 22, he reported successfully trading 10,000 BTC for two pizzas, with jercos placing the order and receiving the coins. The bitcoins were quoted at approximately $41 at the time of the offer.
Pizza Index
The Pizza Index represents the value of the 10,000 BTC spent on the pizzas if those coins were held instead of spent. It began around $41 when the transaction occurred and has risen substantially since then, reportedly topping ~$1.1 billion in May 2025.
Bitcoin Pizza Day
To commemorate the transaction, May 22 is celebrated as Bitcoin Pizza Day. Around the world, pizza providers and bitcoin communities often organize events or offer discounts to mark laszlo’s purchase and bitcoin’s early history.
Live Valuation
Live price: CoinGecko public API. Historical “Then” value uses an approximate estimate for 2010‑05‑22 (~$0.0041/BTC ≈ $41). For informational purposes only; not investment advice.
On‑Chain Live (Blockstream)
Blockstream Esplora API provides blockchain stats (not fiat price).
BTC/USD Chart
Interactive chart provided by TradingView embed.
Speculative Scenario: $100 Billion per BTC
The following is a speculative thought experiment and not a prediction. It illustrates how valuations scale but should not be interpreted as financial advice.
Notes and Methodology
- “Then” price uses an approximate estimate for 2010‑05‑22 (~$0.0041/BTC ≈ $41 for 10k BTC).
- “Now” price uses the live BTC/USD price refreshed about once per minute.
- Growth multiple = Now ÷ Then. CAGR computed from 2010‑05‑22 to today.
- Early price data is sparse; treat historical values as approximate.
- APIs may rate‑limit; values can briefly show “…” during refresh.
- On‑chain stats (block height, mempool) from Blockstream Esplora API.
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