May 22: Bitcoin Pizza Day – A Milestone in Cryptocurrency History
May 22 is celebrated annually in the cryptocurrency community as Bitcoin Pizza Day, marking the anniversary of the first known commercial transaction using Bitcoin. On this day in 2010, a programmer named Laszlo Hanyecz from Florida posted on the BitcoinTalk forum offering 10,000 BTC in exchange for two large pizzas. A fellow forum user accepted the offer, ordered the pizzas from Papa John’s, and had them delivered to Hanyecz.
At the time, 10,000 BTC was worth about $41, making each pizza cost around $20—an average deal for pizza. However, as Bitcoin's value skyrocketed over the years, that same amount of BTC would be worth hundreds of millions of dollars today. This transaction has since become legendary, symbolizing both the humble beginnings of Bitcoin and the incredible journey of cryptocurrency from a niche experiment to a global financial phenomenon.
Bitcoin Pizza Day not only commemorates this historic purchase but also serves as a reminder of how far digital currencies have come. It highlights the early adopters' vision and the unpredictable value trajectory of cryptocurrencies. Today, events, promotions, and even pizza giveaways take place across the crypto world each May 22 to honor this milestone.
This transaction is widely regarded as the first documented instance of Bitcoin being used to purchase a physical good, thus proving its viability as a decentralized currency.
