What the numbers say: Bitcoin (BTC) has achieved remarkable growth in value since May 2010, when the famous Bitcoin Pizza Day originated. The leading cryptocurrency reached the $28,000 level at the beginning of this May, up from its nearly $0.0041 price in May 2010. Though it is now quite far from its all-time high in 2021, the popular cryptocurrency has managed to become a mainstream instrument of payment and investment within 13 years. Details: Today, Bitcoin is currently the largest cryptocurrency by market cap despite the many ups and downs it experienced over the years. In the top five, the popular cryptocurrency is respectively followed by Ether (ETH), Tether (USDT), Binance Coin (BNB), and USD Coin (USDC). Relevance: A Floridian programmer, Laszlo Hanyecz, bought two pizzas for 10,000 BTC from Papa John's on May 22, 2010, exactly 13 years ago today. On the BitcoinTalk forum, the programmer initially offered 10,000 BTC to anyone who would buy two large pizzas by placing an order and delivering them to him. A British man accepted Hanyecz's offer and purchased two pizzas in exchange for the 10,000 bitcoins that accounted for about $41 at the time, followed by an announcement from Hanyecz himself on the forum. The move marked the first-ever recorded real-world crypto transaction, creating a symbolic value for the day. That's why May 22 has been celebrated as Bitcoin Pizza Day by the crypto community since then. In honor of the purchase, a plaque was also placed in a Papa John's location in Jacksonville, Florida, which reads, "Papa John's. Makers of the famous Bitcoin Pizzas. May 22, 2010." Today, those two pizzas are worth nearly $270M. Brands that should care: Over the years, many brands from different sectors, including Tesla, Gucci, Burger King, KFC, and Pizza Hut, have accepted Bitcoin as a payment method for goods and services, boosting the mass crypto adoption. In addition, many crypto-related companies, such as Binance, Bitget, Bitrefill, and Gate.io, are celebrating Bitcoin Pizza Day today with special offers. |
