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Guy Who Spent $800 Million In Bitcoin On Two Pizzas In 2010 Speaks Out For

Guy Who Spent $800 Million In Bitcoin On Two Pizzas In 2010 Speaks Out For

When he paid for it, it was worth less than a penny

Amelia Ward

Amelia Ward

If you can remember back to the days before Bitcoin was a legit currency, you might recall either not knowing much about it, or thinking it was some weird phase that would never catch on.

Well, if, like me, you ignored the advice of some of your tech savvy mates to invest at the time, you're probably kicking yourself now. I know I certainly am.

Well it's not just me who's made Bitcoin related mistakes in the past. You might remember Laszlo Hanyecz - or as he's better known 'the Bitcoin pizza guy', and he's given his first TV interview since the 'incident'.

Poor Laszlo had an absolute 'mare of it. Back in 2010, when nobody really realised a 'cryptocurrency' would be a thing, he made the killer mistake of ordering two pizzas with the novelty currency.

The computer programmer, from Florida, was the first documented person in the world to make a purchase of a good with Bitcoin.

Doing what any sane person would do, he decided to spend it on two Papa John's pizzas. It cost 10,000 BTC, exchanged with an 18-year-old, in a Bitcoin forum.

At the time, it was worth less than a penny.

After he's completed the transaction, he even posted a thank you to student Jeremy Sturdivant, (jercos), writing: "I just want to report that I successfully traded 10,000 bitcoins for pizza. Thanks jercos!"

For the first time it happened 10 years ago, Hanyecz has spoken to CBS News about it, now that 1 BTC is now worth around $8,000.

"That's $800 million," Cooper says. "You spent about $800 million on pizza?"

Hanyecz replies, "Well, if you look at today's exchange rate."

"Are there nights you wake up," Cooper asks, "where you think, 'I could have had $800 million... if I hadn't bought those pizzas?'"

"I think thinking like that is... not really good for me," Hanyecz says.

Poor Laszlo looks bloody gutted when Cooper basically laughs in his face about it.
CBS

I bloody bet it's not mate.

Speaking to Coin Telegraph last year, he says he has no regrets though.

He said: "I don't regret it. I think that it's great that I got to be part of the early history of Bitcoin in that way, and people know about the pizza and it's an interesting story because everybody can kind of relate to that and be - "Oh my God, you spent all of that money!"

He added: "I didn't think it would get as popular as it has, but it's gotten to be a really catchy story for people."

You're a better person then me, pal.

Featured Image Credit: CBS

Topics: Bitcoin, US News, Weird