- In 2010, Laszlo Hanyecz spent 10,000 BTC on two pizzas—now worth over $1.1 billion.
- Bitcoin Pizza Day marks the first real-world BTC transaction and a reminder of crypto’s insane growth.
- The story highlights the power of long-term holding and how time in the market beats timing it.
Some folks call him a legend. Others? Not so much. Back in 2010, a Florida guy named Laszlo Hanyecz made what’s now one of crypto’s most infamous moves—he dropped 10,000 Bitcoin on two Papa John’s pizzas. Yeah, just two. At the time, that was about $41. Now? Over a billion dollars. Seriously.
For some, May 22nd—Bitcoin Pizza Day—is a cringe-fest. A painful reminder of “what could’ve been” if they just held on. But for others, it’s bigger than that. It’s a symbol of how far Bitcoin has come, how something that used to buy you dinner can now buy… a skyscraper or two. Maybe three.
From Forum Post to Billion-Dollar Bite
It all started with a post on the Bitcoin Talk forum. Laszlo asked if anyone would help him trade 10,000 BTC for pizza—two large pies, nothing fancy. A fellow Bitcoiner took him up on it, and boom, history was made. The first real-world Bitcoin transaction went down. It wasn’t seamless, sure, but it worked.
Just a year later, those pizzas were worth nearly $70K. By 2013? Over a million bucks. Fast forward to 2017, and they hit $21 million. In 2020, $90 million. And now, with BTC soaring past $110K, Laszlo’s lunch has officially crossed the $1.1 billion mark. That’s… pretty wild.
The FOMO Hits Hard
Of course, not everyone’s celebrating. For a lot of folks, this story stings. It brings up the old fear of missing out—the “if only I’d held” regrets. Maybe you sold at $500. Maybe at $50. Either way, we’ve all been there.
But here’s the thing—Bitcoin’s story isn’t about overnight wins. As CZ (y’know, the Binance guy) often says, zoom out. The bigger picture tells a different story. From cents to six figures, BTC has shown its power. It’s not just some internet trend. Governments, billionaires, entire nations are now racing to lock in their slice of crypto dominance.
Time in the Market > Timing the Market
Sure, Laszlo’s move seems wild in hindsight. But back then? It helped kick off a movement. Without it, who knows how long it would’ve taken to prove Bitcoin’s real-world value. So yeah, he may’ve paid $1.1 billion for some pizza—but he also made history.
And maybe that’s the real lesson. Patience beats panic. And when it comes to crypto… it’s not about timing the top. It’s about staying in long enough to see the story unfold.
Happy Bitcoin Pizza Day. Grab a slice. Reflect. Don’t beat yourself up—just keep going.
