Ever had that sinking feeling in your stomach after a bad purchase? Maybe you bought a car that turned out to be a lemon or splurged on a gadget you never used. Now, imagine that feeling, but amplified by about a billion dollars.
On May 22, 2010, a programmer named Laszlo Hanyecz spent 10,000 BTC on two large Papa John’s pizzas. At the time, those coins were worth roughly $41. He just wanted some food delivered to his door in Florida without having to leave the house. Today, everyone from Wall Street analysts to casual crypto fans asks the same thing: how much are 10 000 bitcoins worth right now?
The answer is enough to buy a small country, or at least several fleets of private jets. As of January 18, 2026, Bitcoin is hovering around $93,700. If you do the math, that stash is worth a staggering **$937,000,000**.
Nearly a billion dollars. For some pepperoni and cheese.
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The Eye-Watering Math of the Most Expensive Dinner in History
It’s easy to look at a number like $937 million and lose perspective. To really understand the scale here, you have to look at the "Pizza Index." When Laszlo made that trade, one Bitcoin was worth less than a penny. By the time 2021 rolled around, the value of those pizzas had crossed $600 million. In 2025, during the massive bull run that saw Bitcoin peak near $126,000, that same 10,000 BTC would have been worth over $1.2 billion.
Prices fluctuate. They’ve been wild lately. Honestly, if you check the price an hour from now, that "billion-dollar" valuation might have swung by $50 million in either direction. That’s just the nature of the beast. But even with the current dip to $93,700, we are looking at a gain of approximately 228,000,000% since that fateful Tuesday in 2010.
Think about that. If you had just $1 worth of Bitcoin back then, you’d be a multi-millionaire today.
Why 10 000 Bitcoins Aren't Just About the Money
You’ve probably heard people call Laszlo a "loser" or the "unluckiest man in the world." That’s actually a huge misconception. Without that pizza transaction, Bitcoin might not even exist today.
Back in 2010, Bitcoin was just a toy for cryptographers. It didn't have a "price" because nobody was buying anything with it. Laszlo’s trade proved that the code had real-world utility. He didn't just buy pizza; he kickstarted the entire concept of crypto-commerce.
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The Mystery of the Seller: Jeremy Sturdivant
While Laszlo gets all the headlines, what happened to the guy who received the 10,000 BTC? Jeremy Sturdivant (known as "jercos" on the Bitcointalk forums) was only 19 at the time. He didn't "HODL" it either. He spent the coins on travel and computer parts. He basically treated it like a $40 gift card.
If Jeremy had kept those coins, he would be one of the richest people on the planet. Instead, those 10,000 Bitcoins were moved, split up, and eventually recycled back into the market. This is actually a good thing for the ecosystem. If 10,000 coins stayed locked in one wallet forever, it would make the supply even more illiquid than it already is.
How Much Are 10 000 Bitcoins Worth Compared to Other Assets?
To put the current $937 million valuation into context, let's look at what else that kind of money buys in 2026:
- Real Estate: You could buy roughly 1,500 "average" homes in the United States outright.
- Sports: It’s nearly enough to buy a mid-tier NHL team or a significant minority stake in an NBA franchise.
- Tech: You could buy approximately 800,000 high-end MacBook Pros.
- Luxury: It would pay for about 300 Bugatti Mistrals.
It’s a "whale" level of wealth. In the crypto world, a "whale" is anyone holding 1,000 BTC or more. Owning 10,000 would make you one of the largest individual holders in existence, rivaling some institutional funds.
The Reality of Selling a Billion Dollars in Bitcoin
Here is something the "get rich quick" YouTubers won't tell you: you can't just click a "sell" button on an exchange and get $937 million in your bank account tomorrow.
If you tried to dump 10,000 BTC onto a single exchange like Coinbase or Binance at once, you would cause a "flash crash." The price would plummet before your order even finished. Big players use what’s called "OTC" (Over-the-Counter) desks. These are private brokers who match big buyers with big sellers to avoid spooking the public market.
Even then, the tax man is waiting. In the US, the IRS views Bitcoin as property. Selling 10,000 BTC would trigger massive capital gains taxes. You’d likely be handing over 20% to 37% of that billion-dollar pie to the government. Suddenly, your $937 million looks more like $600 million. Still not bad, but it’s a reality check on those "paper" gains.
Is It Too Late to See That Kind of Growth?
People ask if they can still turn $40 into a billion. Kinda, but probably not with Bitcoin.
For Bitcoin to go from $93,000 to the equivalent growth Laszlo saw, the price of a single coin would need to reach billions of dollars. That would mean Bitcoin's market cap would exceed the total wealth of the entire planet. Not happening.
However, the "institutional era" is here. In 2024 and 2025, we saw massive inflows from Spot ETFs and companies like MicroStrategy. Bitcoin is now treated like "Digital Gold." It's less about turning pennies into millions and more about preserving wealth against inflation.
Actionable Steps for the Crypto-Curious
If you’re sitting there wondering if you should jump in, don't start by looking for the next "pizza" deal. Start with the basics.
- Understand the "Halving": The next Bitcoin halving is a few years away, but it's the mechanism that keeps the supply capped at 21 million. Scarcity drives the price.
- Use Cold Storage: If you ever do find yourself with even a fraction of a Bitcoin, don't leave it on an exchange. Use a hardware wallet. If you don't own the keys, you don't own the coins.
- DCA (Dollar Cost Averaging): Instead of trying to time the market—which is impossible—most experts suggest buying a small amount every week or month. It smooths out the volatility.
- Track the Whale Wallets: You can actually watch the original "pizza" wallets on the blockchain. They are public. Seeing how big money moves can give you a hint of where the market is headed.
Bitcoin isn't just a number on a screen anymore. It's a massive financial network. Whether it's worth $90,000 or $900,000, the story of those 10,000 bitcoins will always be the benchmark for how far this technology has come.
Just... maybe think twice before trading your crypto for lunch.
To track the current value yourself, you can multiply 10,000 by the "spot price" found on any major exchange. Keep in mind that liquidity and fees mean the "real" value is always slightly less than the "paper" value. If you're serious about holding large amounts, consult a tax professional first to understand the implications of "realizing" those gains.