Imagine ordering two pizzas today and paying hundreds of millions of dollars for them. Sounds absurd? That’s exactly what happened back in 2010, although no one realized it at the time. On May 22, 2010, a Florida programmer named Laszlo Hanyecz decided to test whether Bitcoin could be used in everyday life. He offered 10,000 bitcoins on a crypto forum in exchange for two pizzas from Papa John’s. Someone actually took him up on the offer. At the time, the coins were worth about $41 – today, they’d be valued at hundreds of millions.

Hanyecz never regretted it. For him, the idea of trading “internet money” for real food was incredibly cool. This event became a milestone, showing that Bitcoin could work not only as a fascinating experiment but also as a means of payment.

Why Bitcoin Pizza Day is celebrated

Since then, the crypto community has celebrated Bitcoin Pizza Day every year on May 22. Around the world, events, discounts, and special offers let customers pay with bitcoin. It’s a reminder of the humble beginnings of cryptocurrencies and proof of how far they have come in just a few years.

Bitcoin Pizza Day is more than just a curiosity. It symbolizes the moment when a purely virtual currency became a real alternative to traditional money.

From two pizzas to half a million daily transactions

What started with two pizzas has turned into a global phenomenon. By 2023, nearly 500,000 bitcoin transactions were processed every day on average. Today, people use cryptocurrencies not only for online shopping, but also for peer-to-peer transfers and international payments.

Bitcoin has shifted from being a tool for tech enthusiasts to becoming a part of the everyday digital economy. Still, it remains an investment asset whose value can rise dramatically – or fall just as quickly.

A lesson about value and time

The story of the Bitcoin Pizza is a perfect illustration of how value can change over time. What was once worth just a few dozen dollars is now comparable to the value of a small tech company.

At the same time, it’s also a warning. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, and their prices can fluctuate within hours. Bitcoin Pizza Day reminds us not only of the beginnings of digital money, but also that investing in it requires patience, knowledge, and the ability to handle risk.

Sources:

https://www.investopedia.com/news/bitcoin-pizza-day-celebrating-20-million-pizza-order/

https://www.coinbase.com/learn/crypto-glossary/what-is-bitcoin-pizza