The $400 Million Pizza

The Bitcoin That Bought a Pizza

How $41 Became $400 Million and Shook the Crypto World. On May 22, 2010, a Florida programmer named Laszlo Hanyecz made internet history by spending 10,000 Bitcoins to buy two large pizzas from Papa John's. At the time, those coins were worth around $41.

The delivery was simple: another user on a crypto forum agreed to place the pizza order in exchange for Laszlo's digital currency.

Everyone thought it was a fun experiment. After all, Bitcoin was new—just an obscure, open-source idea a few geeks were tinkering with online. But as the years went on and Bitcoin’s value skyrocketed, those pizzas turned into one of the most expensive meals in human history.

Today, 10,000 BTC is worth over $400 million.

Welcome to the world of crypto—where one pizza order turned into a legend, and one man accidentally wrote the first chapter of Bitcoin’s real-world journey.


🍕 A Slice of History

Back in 2010, Bitcoin wasn’t on the news. No companies accepted it, no billionaires tweeted about it, and no one believed it could ever replace traditional money. It was mostly an idea: a decentralized currency, free from banks and governments.

Laszlo Hanyecz wasn’t just a buyer—he was also a Bitcoin developer. He wanted to prove that Bitcoin could have real-world value, not just digital promise. So, he posted on a crypto forum:

“I'll pay 10,000 Bitcoins for a couple of pizzas… like maybe two large ones so I have some left over for the next day.”


One user took him up on the offer, ordered two pizzas to Laszlo’s home, and received 10,000 BTC in return. A fair deal at the time.

That moment is now known as Bitcoin Pizza Day, celebrated every May 22nd in crypto communities worldwide.


📈 From Pocket Change to Powerhouse

To understand the magnitude of what happened, you have to see Bitcoin's journey.

In 2010, 10,000 BTC = ~$41
In 2017, 10,000 BTC = ~$200 million
In 2021, 10,000 BTC = ~$650 million (at Bitcoin’s peak)
In 2025, 10,000 BTC = ~$400 million (approx.)

Laszlo’s pizza purchase is now seen as the first commercial Bitcoin transaction. He opened the door for the world to treat cryptocurrency as something more than a theory. He gave it legs—and taste.

But he also unintentionally became the man who "spent millions on pizza."


🤔 Does He Regret It?

Laszlo has answered that question many times. Surprisingly, his answer is: “No.”
In interviews, he explains that the experiment helped build Bitcoin’s real-world credibility. Without that, perhaps the currency would never have caught on. He even bought pizza with Bitcoin again a few times afterward—just to continue proving the point.
"I don’t regret it," he once said. "I think it’s great that I got to be part of the early story."
He didn’t lose $400 million—he helped start a financial revolution.


🔐 What the Pizza Taught Us About Value

Laszlo’s pizza story isn't just about missed money—it's about how value is created.
Bitcoin’s rise from pennies to thousands of dollars wasn’t magic. It was trust. People started believing in a system that didn’t rely on banks. They believed in a ledger (blockchain) that no one could tamper with.
The pizza purchase proved that belief could translate into action. Real goods. Real payments. Real change.
That simple order told the world: This currency works.


🌍 The Ripple Effect

Since 2010, Bitcoin has gone from a fringe curiosity to a global asset.
Companies like Tesla, PayPal, and Visa now engage with crypto.
Nations like El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as legal tender.
Thousands of new crypto currencies have emerged in its wake.
A single Bitcoin is now worth more than a new car.
It all began with a programmer, a craving, and two large pizzas.


📎 Final Thoughts: More Than a Meme

Laszlo Hanyecz’s story is a meme, a cautionary tale, and a monument to innovation—all at once.

Yes, it’s fun to say, “He spent $400 million on pizza.” But what really happened is this:
He gave Bitcoin a purpose—he showed the world that digital money could be used.

In the end, Laszlo didn’t lose anything. He helped the world gain something bigger: the start of a financial revolution.

So next time you hear about crypto, remember the man who just wanted pizza—and changed the future.


📎 Writer’s Note:
Want to explore more real stories behind the rise of tech and finance? Follow me for more fascinating tales from the digital age.