Bitcoin first reached the $50,000 milestone on February 16, 2021, roughly 12 years after its inception in 2009. The cryptocurrency experienced a rapid surge, having been valued at approximately $10,000 just one year prior to hitting this landmark.
Bitcoin topped $50,000 on Monday for the first time since December 2021, according to CoinGecko data, suggesting confidence in the digital currency is growing after a turbulent two years of scandals and bankruptcies.
When did BTC cross $100K? The first BTC crossing 100k occurred in December 2024, followed by a downward dip in February 2025. The second crossing above $100,000 took place in May 2025, with Bitcoin trading steadily above the mark in June 2025.
Despite extreme volatility, Bitcoin's price has skyrocketed 1,060% in the past five years as I write this. This monster gain would've turned a $10,000 initial capital outlay in October 2020 to a whopping $115,700 on Oct. 6.
Laszlo Hanyecz, a programmer and early Bitcoin miner, famously traded 10,000 Bitcoin for two Papa John's pizzas on May 22, 2010, marking the first documented commercial transaction for physical goods with cryptocurrency, a day now celebrated as "Bitcoin Pizza Day". At the time, the Bitcoins were worth only about $41, but the value of those coins would later grow to be worth hundreds of millions, even over a billion dollars, making it one of history's most expensive pizzas.
Key Takeaways. The IRS treats cryptocurrency as property, meaning that when you buy, sell or exchange it, this counts as a taxable event and typically results in either a capital gain or loss. When you earn income from cryptocurrency activities, this is taxed as ordinary income.
2011 – 2012: $1 to $13.50
In 2011, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) accepted BTC for donations for a few months, but quickly backtracked due to a lack of a legal framework for virtual currencies. In February of 2011, BTC reached $1.00 for the first time, achieving parity with the U.S. dollar.
I've read multiple sources that indicate in 2010 one could mine 100 to 250 BTC per day for most of 2010 with a dual-core processor.
Standard Chartered's Geoff Kendrick conceded Tuesday that Bitcoin will not reach his $200,000 target by the end of the year–a forecast he has stood by for over a year. Instead, he now expects Bitcoin to hit $100,000 by the end of 2025.
For example, if Bitcoin reaches US$1 million per coin by 2035, as some analysts predict, the 4.28 BTC needed for a 2030 retirement could be worth over US$4 million, providing cushy financial security.
That would make it more likely that it would hit $1 million by 2030. Instead of a CAGR of 60%, it would "only" need a CAGR of 50%. Image source: Getty Images. But Bitcoin actually took a step back in 2025, and that means it needs to grow at an even faster clip over the next four years.
Before these transfers, SpaceX held 8,285 BTC, valued at roughly $914 million, ranking it fourth on the list of privately held companies with Bitcoin treasuries, as per data from BitcoinTreasuries.net. Meanwhile, Tesla Inc. also holds a substantial Bitcoin portfolio, with 11,509 BTC, valued at over $1.27 billion.
On May 22, 2010, the first known commercial transaction using bitcoin occurred when programmer Laszlo Hanyecz bought two Papa John's pizzas for ₿10,000, in what would later be celebrated as "Bitcoin Pizza Day".
Later, Jeremy ordered the two pizzas from Papa Johns, which were then delivered to Laszlo. “How lucky they must have been to find all that money in their hands!”. Actually, Papa Johns didn't receive any Bitcoin. For a straightforward reason: Papa Johns didn't accept Bitcoin in 2010.
On May 22, 2010, known now as "Bitcoin Pizza Day." Laszlo Hanyecz, a programmer from Florida, made history by using Bitcoin to purchase two pizzas from Papa John's. Hanyecz paid 10,000 Bitcoins for the pizzas, an amount that was worth about $41 at the time. Today, that is the equivalent of $1,012,030,000!