Who Paid 10,000 Bitcoin for Pizza? The True Story Behind Bitcoin Pizza Day
Imagine ordering two pizzas for delivery. Now, imagine discovering years later that the digital money you used is worth over $600 million. This isn’t a fantasy—it’s the true story of the most expensive pizza ever bought, a meal that has become the stuff of internet legend.
On May 22, 2010, a programmer made the first-ever real-world purchase with a little-known digital currency called Bitcoin. He traded 10,000 of his coins for two large pizzas from Papa John’s, a transaction worth about $41 at the time. It was a simple experiment to see if this “internet money” could actually buy something tangible.
The story of this dinner order reveals how a seemingly small transaction became a pivotal moment that helped launch a global phenomenon, starting with the man behind the purchase.
Who Was the ‘Bitcoin Pizza Guy’ and What Was His Simple Request?
The man at the center of this legendary story was Laszlo Hanyecz, a programmer from Florida and one of Bitcoin’s earliest adopters. In the spring of 2010, Bitcoin wasn’t a global financial topic; it was an obscure project known only to a small group of tech enthusiasts. These early fans weren’t trying to get rich. Instead, they were fascinated by the idea of a new kind of digital money and were tinkering with it to see what it could do.
On May 18, 2010, Hanyecz logged onto Bitcointalk, an online message board that served as a kind of digital clubhouse for these pioneers. He posted a straightforward offer: “I’ll pay 10,000 bitcoins for a couple of pizzas.. like maybe 2 large ones so I have some left over for the next day.” He even listed his topping preferences, including onions, peppers, and mushrooms.
This wasn’t just a hungry programmer trying to get a meal. It was a landmark experiment. The entire point of the offer was to see if Bitcoin—a purely digital concept—could be used to buy a physical, real-world item. For Hanyecz and his fellow enthusiasts, a successful pizza transaction would be the first major proof that this “internet money” actually worked.
Why Was 10,000 Bitcoin Worth Only $41 in 2010?
Today, the idea of trading 10,000 Bitcoin for pizza sounds absurd. But back in 2010, those coins were worth next to nothing—roughly $41 in total. At the time, Bitcoin wasn’t a global currency; it was more like a digital collectible for a handful of computer hobbyists. It was an experiment, and its value came from the novelty of the technology itself, not from what you could buy with it. There were no major exchanges and no easy way to convert it into dollars.
The tiny price tag it did have was based almost entirely on speculative value. This is a simple way of saying its worth came from what a few people thought it might be worth someday, not what it was worth right then. Think of it like an artist’s first-ever sketch. It might not be worth much on its own, but a few believers might pay a small price, hoping it one day becomes a masterpiece. For the early Bitcoin community, the “masterpiece” was the dream of a new kind of money.
From that perspective, trading 10,000 speculative digital tokens for two real, tangible pizzas seemed like a fantastic deal. Laszlo was essentially swapping a niche hobby item for a hot meal. It wasn’t a mistake; it was a success. He was proving that you could turn this obscure computer code into something you could actually eat, a crucial step in its journey from an idea to a reality.
The Breakthrough: How the World’s First Bitcoin Purchase Actually Happened
After Laszlo Hanyecz posted his unusual offer, he was met with… silence. For four days, his request for pizza in exchange for 10,000 digital coins went unanswered. To the few people who saw it, the offer was more of a strange novelty than a serious opportunity. Most users either didn’t know how to fulfill it or simply weren’t interested in the handful of digital tokens being offered for the trouble.
Finally, a 19-year-old student in California named Jeremy Sturdivant saw the post and decided to help. He wasn’t trying to make a savvy investment; he just thought it would be a fun and interesting thing to do. He saw it as a simple barter: he would provide a real-world service in exchange for some experimental “internet money.”
The logistics of the world’s first physical Bitcoin transaction were remarkably simple. Sturdivant called a Papa John’s pizzeria near Hanyecz’s home in Florida and paid for two large pizzas with his credit card, costing him about $41. Once the order was placed, Hanyecz transferred the 10,000 Bitcoin directly to him. The process was as easy as sending a digital file from one person to another, like attaching a unique asset to an email.
When the pizzas arrived, Hanyecz triumphantly posted an update: “I just want to report that I successfully traded 10,000 bitcoins for pizza.” With that, a digital curiosity had officially purchased something tangible. It was proof that this strange new money could actually work.
From Pizza to Phenomenon: Why May 22nd Became “Bitcoin Pizza Day”
Hanyecz’s pizza purchase wasn’t just about satisfying a craving. It was the first real evidence—what engineers call a “proof of concept”—that Bitcoin could bridge the gap between the digital world and the physical one. Before this, Bitcoin was simply a fascinating idea shared among a handful of tech enthusiasts, existing only on computers. By turning 10,000 digital tokens into two large pizzas, Hanyecz showed everyone that this new form of money wasn’t just a toy; it could actually be used for something real.
The importance of that moment cannot be overstated. Suddenly, Bitcoin had a tangible exchange rate: 10,000 BTC equaled about $41, or two pizzas. This simple transaction gave other early adopters the confidence they needed, providing the crucial first step that helped transform Bitcoin from a niche hobby into a technology people were willing to build upon. It was the starting pistol for a race that would eventually legitimize an entire industry, all because someone proved you could use it for dinner.
To commemorate this landmark event, the global community now celebrates May 22nd as “Bitcoin Pizza Day.” It serves as an annual reminder of how a simple act became the foundational moment for a new financial world. Every year, people share photos of their own pizzas, celebrating the transaction that first proved digital money could be part of our everyday lives. But while Hanyecz got the meal, the story of the student who actually bought the pizzas is just as fascinating.
What Happened to the Pizza Buyer? The Story of Jeremy Sturdivant
The man on the other side of that famous deal was Jeremy Sturdivant, a 19-year-old student at the time. Living in California, he saw Laszlo’s request on the forum, called a Papa John’s in Florida, and paid for the two pizzas with his credit card. In return, Laszlo sent him the 10,000 Bitcoin, completing the historic exchange.
So, did Sturdivant become a Bitcoin billionaire? Not even close. He treated the coins like a small windfall, not a long-term investment. He spent the entire sum relatively quickly, mostly to cover costs for a trip, back when the 10,000 coins were only worth a few hundred dollars in total.
Ultimately, Sturdivant’s story reinforces the true nature of the event. For everyone involved, it wasn’t about getting rich—it was about proving a concept. The goal was to participate in a fascinating experiment, not cash a winning lottery ticket. The staggering financial value was an accident of history that no one, not even the people at the center of the story, saw coming.
The $700 Million Pizza: Charting the Value of 10,000 BTC Over Time
While the pizza cost just $41 in 2010, the value of the 10,000 Bitcoin used to pay for it didn’t stay there. As Bitcoin evolved from a niche hobby into a global financial phenomenon, the value of those digital coins skyrocketed. This turned an ordinary pizza order into a legendary tale of what is now the most expensive pizza ever bought.
The growth was staggering. Watching the 10,000 BTC pizza value over time is like watching a financial big bang in slow motion:
- May 2010: ~$41
- Late 2013: ~$10 Million
- Late 2017: ~$197 Million
- Late 2021: ~$690 Million
Although the price fluctuates constantly, the value remains in the hundreds of millions of dollars. To put its peak value in perspective, that single pizza payment was worth enough to buy an entire professional sports franchise. It’s a mind-bending figure that underscores just how much the world changed around this one simple transaction, even if no one involved got rich from it.
The Real Lesson from the World’s Most Expensive Meal
The story of the 10,000 Bitcoin pizza isn’t a tale of financial blunder, but a testament to the moment a digital idea became real enough to eat. It showcases a foundational moment in the history of a world-changing technology.
Perhaps the most important lesson comes from Laszlo Hanyecz himself. He has no regrets, taking pride in his role as a pioneer. His simple purchase wasn’t an error; it was the first small step that proved a giant leap was possible for a new technology.
This is the spirit celebrated every Bitcoin Pizza Day. The next time you hear about a seemingly strange new idea, remember the programmer who just wanted dinner. World-changing innovations often begin not with a bang, but with a bite.