Did you know?
Every year on May 22, cryptocurrency enthusiasts around the world raise pizzas in tribute to the 'most expensive' transaction in history—on this day in 2010, programmer Laszlo Hanyecz exchanged 10,000 Bitcoins for two pizzas. This seemingly ordinary purchase ignited the wilderness of the blockchain revolution like a spark and gave Bitcoin its first taste of 'earthly flavor.'
[The Legendary Beginning: The Encounter of Two Pizzas and 10,000 BTC]
On May 18, 2010, a young Florida programmer named Laszlo posted on a Bitcoin forum: “I want to trade 10,000 Bitcoins for some pizzas, preferably large ones!” Four days later, 19-year-old Jeremy Sturdivant took the order and used his credit card to order two Papa John's pizzas delivered to Laszlo's house. This transaction was forever recorded in block 57043 of the blockchain. At that time, Bitcoin was worth only $0.004, and today, the value of those 10,000 Bitcoins is enough to buy an island—but Laszlo has never regretted it: “That was the coolest pizza I ever had.”
[The Gift of History: From Code Experiment to Value Revolution]
Pizza Day is not only a commemoration of the 'creation myth' of the cryptocurrency world but also symbolizes the ultimate ideal of cryptocurrency: to make code a symbol of value circulating in the real world. As Bitcoin moved from geek forums to Wall Street, evolving from a pizza transaction to a trillion-dollar digital gold, this experiment has overturned humanity's understanding of currency, trust, and decentralization. Just as Satoshi Nakamoto left the (Times) headline in the genesis block: “Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks”—Bitcoin was born with the gene to challenge the traditional financial system.
[The Warmth of Code: When Geek Spirit Meets Commercial Civilization]
Today, Pizza Day has long transcended its mere commemorative significance, becoming a bridge connecting the crypto world and the real economy. Global merchants launched 'Bitcoin Pizza Discounts,' exchanges initiated '1BTC Buyback Pizza' events, and communities recreated historical scenes with NFTs... This annual celebration reminds us: no matter how disruptive the technology, it must ultimately return to the essence of serving life. Just like Laszlo insisted on 'doing something real with Bitcoin' back then, real revolutions often start with the simplest desires.
Today, as you take a bite of pizza,
What you chew on is not only tomatoes and cheese but also a chapter in the history of digital civilization. Perhaps one day in the future, when Bitcoin truly integrates into daily life, people will remember: it all started with that afternoon when someone traded a string of code for pizza.