Bitcoin Pizza Transaction: Pioneering Digital Money Experiment

On May 18, 2010, a user named Laszlo posted an eye-catching bounty on the Bitcoin forum. He offered to exchange ten thousand Bitcoins for two large pizzas, a proposal that seemed quite novel at the time. Laszlo detailed his taste preferences and stated that the seller could choose to make them or order takeout. This action took place just over a month after he joined the Bitcoin forum.

At that time, Bitcoin, as an emerging digital cryptocurrency, had not yet been widely recognized and accepted. Laszlo's post did not initially attract much attention, with only a few users expressing interest, but they were unable to complete the transaction due to geographical limitations. Ten thousand Bitcoins were worth about $30 at that time, which made Laszlo doubt whether his offer was too low.

By May 22, Laszlo finally got his wish. He announced on the forum that he successfully purchased pizza and shared photos. This day is subsequently known as "Bitcoin Pizza Day", marking the first time that Bitcoin realized its transaction function in the real world, no longer just a concept existing in cyberspace. This transaction holds significant historical meaning, as it validates Bitcoin's practical use as a medium of exchange.

Laszlo explained his motivation for making this transaction during an interview. As a programmer, he earned Bitcoin by writing code and mining. For him, this purchase of pizza felt like trading his hobby for a free dinner. This idea reflects the attitude of early Bitcoin enthusiasts towards this emerging technology.

It is worth noting that Laszlo is one of the earliest individuals to mine Bitcoin using a graphics card. Reports indicate that he quickly accumulated tens of thousands of Bitcoins. Data shows that his wallet began to see a large inflow of funds in May 2010, reaching a maximum balance of 20962 BTC that month. Even after the pizza transaction, his Bitcoin balance continued to grow rapidly, peaking at 43854 BTC in June 2010.

With the soaring value of Bitcoin, this pizza transaction has garnered widespread attention. However, Laszlo himself remains indifferent to it. He stated that he does not feel regret or lose sleep over this expenditure; instead, he recalls the joyful feelings of the time. In fact, after the initial transaction, Laszlo continued to frequently use Bitcoin for payments, and it is estimated that he spent around 100,000 Bitcoins in total.

The transaction with Laszlo was made by 19-year-old Jeremy Sturdivant at the time. As an early Bitcoin user, Jeremy was also actively involved in Bitcoin trading. In an interview, he stated that he did not foresee the enormous appreciation potential of Bitcoin, but he does not regret participating in this transaction.

As time goes by, the value of Bitcoin continues to rise, and the market remains optimistic about its future prospects. However, Laszlo has always kept a low profile and has not opened a personal social media account. He stated that he prefers to view Bitcoin as a hobby rather than a profession. Laszlo said: "I have a normal job and do not want to fully dedicate myself to Bitcoin. I am happy to participate in this way."

Laszlo's contributions are not limited to this famous pizza transaction. He also provided the Bitcoin community with a MacOS version of Bitcoin Core and GPU mining technology. Although the pizza transaction may not be his most important or impressive contribution, it undoubtedly created a memorable and delicious annual anniversary for the Bitcoin community.