What happened on May 22, 2010 (and why it matters)
In the crypto community, May 22 is celebrated as “Bitcoin Pizza Day.” On that day, programmer Laszlo Hanyecz secured two pizzas in exchange for 10,000 bitcoins—widely regarded as the first documented purchase of a physical good using bitcoin. He summed it up on the Bitcointalk forum with the line: “I just want to report that I successfully traded 10,000 bitcoins for pizza.” (bitcointalk.org, CoinDesk)
How the deal came together: the forum, “jercos,” and Papa John’s
The offer was posted on the forum on May 18, 2010, and for a few days no one noticed it. Later, a young community member, Jeremy “jercos” Sturdivant, responded: he paid for the pizzas the traditional way—by card/cash—and then sent Hanyecz 10,000 BTC as compensation for arranging it. The pizzas were from Papa John’s in Jacksonville, Florida—this wasn’t because the chain accepted bitcoin; it was a “secondary” person-to-person purchase. (CoinDesk)
What it was—and what it wasn’t
The “pizza transaction” is seen as the first high-profile proof that bitcoin could be exchanged for real-world goods, and it kicked off the tradition of celebrating May 22. It was not, however, the first transaction on the network (those had been taking place among early users a year earlier), and it didn’t mean that major retail chains were routinely accepting BTC. (CoinDesk)
How much 10,000 BTC would be worth today (updated as of Aug 16, 2025)
As of August 16, 2025, 1 BTC on European markets is trading at around €100,612 per bitcoin. At that price, 10,000 BTC ≈ €1,006,121,100 (i.e., roughly €1.006 billion). Calculation: 10,000 × the current BTC/EUR price. (The price is volatile—always check a live rate for an exact figure.) (CoinMarketCap)
A quote that went down in history
That day, Laszlo Hanyecz also posted a short message on the forum along with photos of the pizzas. This authentic record is the primary source the story has been quoted from for years—and the one the community returns to every year. (bitcointalk.org)
Why May 22 is still remembered
“Bitcoin Pizza Day” celebrations recall the early days, when bitcoin didn’t have a stable market price and its value was more or less negotiated. It also symbolizes the shift from a purely experimental project to real-world exchange—which is why it holds cultural weight in the crypto community and in the media. (AP News)
Video: the “Bitcoin Pizza Day” story in 2 minutes
Watch a short TV segment about the whole episode (in English):
Summary
- On May 22, 2010, the first documented purchase of physical goods with bitcoin took place: two pizzas for 10,000 BTC.
- The offer originated on the Bitcointalk forum; the deal was facilitated by the user “jercos.”
- As of today, 10,000 BTC at a price of around €100,612/BTC would equal roughly €1.006 billion.
- Every May 22 is commemorated as “Bitcoin Pizza Day.”
Sources
- Bitcointalk – “Pizza for bitcoins?” – the original thread with the line “I just want to report that I successfully traded 10,000 bitcoins for pizza.” – https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=137.0
- CoinDesk – “What Is Bitcoin Pizza Day?” – an overview of the story and context, including an explanation of the role of the user “jercos” – https://www.coindesk.com/learn/what-is-bitcoin-pizza-day
- AP News – “Billion dollar pizza? Bitcoin soars on key anniversary of crypto’s growth” – context on the anniversary and the significance of May 22 in the media – https://apnews.com/article/9288849c8a3a9767c3b552021f32c509
- CoinMarketCap – “Bitcoin to Euro (BTC/EUR)” – the current BTC/EUR exchange rate used to calculate today’s value – https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/bitcoin/btc/eur/
Robert
I’m interested in technology and history, especially true crime stories. For three years I ran a fact-based portal about modern history, and for a year I co-built a blogging platform where I published dozens of analytical articles. I founded offpitch so that quality content wouldn’t be hidden behind a paywall.
