Quick facts and why it matters for nonprofits:
• Date: May 22nd each year
• First transaction: 10,000 BTC for two pizzas in 2010
• Crypto giving milestone: Over $100M donated through The Giving Block in 2025
• Donor impact: Average crypto gift reached $11,019
• Real-world example: The #TeamWater campaign raised $40M+, with nearly 25% from crypto
• Why it matters: A timely opportunity for nonprofits to engage crypto donors and launch campaigns
Every year on May 22nd, the cryptocurrency community celebrates Bitcoin Pizza Day. But what makes this day so significant?
On May 22nd, 2010, a developer named Laszlo Hanyecz made history by purchasing two pizzas for 10,000 Bitcoin. At the time, that transaction was worth about $41. Today, it would be worth hundreds of millions, making it one of the most famous transactions in financial history.
This moment marked the first time Bitcoin was used to purchase a real-world good, proving it could function as a form of money. What started as a simple pizza order has since become a symbol of Bitcoin’s evolution from an experimental technology to a global financial asset.
Today, Bitcoin Pizza Day is celebrated across the world with events, campaigns, and online conversations, bringing together the crypto community to reflect on how far the technology has come.
Bitcoin Pizza Day is more than a story about expensive pizza. It represents how far crypto has come and where it’s going next. For nonprofits, it highlights a major opportunity: a fast-growing community of donors who are actively looking to make an impact.
Crypto Giving Has Reached a New Level
Crypto philanthropy is no longer experimental. It is now a proven and rapidly growing fundraising channel, as highlighted in our latest 2026 Annual Report on Crypto Philanthropy & Digital Fundraising Innovation.
In 2025 alone, The Giving Block processed over $100 million in cryptocurrency donations, bringing total crypto donations facilitated to more than $300 million since 2018.
Crypto is also driving larger gifts. The average crypto donation reached $11,019 in 2025, far exceeding traditional online giving benchmarks.
And perhaps most importantly, crypto donors are not just giving occasionally. They are becoming a reliable source of major gifts, with 1 in 5 nonprofits raising over $100,000 in crypto donations in 2025.
Bitcoin Pizza Day is the perfect moment to tap into this momentum.
Why Bitcoin Pizza Day Matters for Your Nonprofit
Crypto donors are typically younger, digitally native, and highly engaged. They hold wealth in crypto assets and are increasingly looking for ways to turn that wealth into real-world impact.
This day gives your organization a natural entry point to connect with crypto communities, launch timely campaigns, and educate donors on new ways to give.
More importantly, it aligns your nonprofit with a cultural moment that already has attention across the crypto ecosystem.
#TeamWater Case Study: Crypto at Scale
Crypto donations powered nearly 25% of total funds raised, helping bring clean water to millions worldwide.
If you want proof of what’s possible, look at the #TeamWater campaign.
The campaign set out with an ambitious goal: raise $40 million to bring clean water to 2 million people. What followed was a global effort that mobilized creators, communities, and donors across multiple channels.
Crypto played a defining role in the campaign’s success, helping unlock new audiences and accelerate fundraising momentum at scale. By making it easy for supporters to give the way they already hold wealth, the campaign was able to tap into a highly engaged donor base.
Momentum surged during a record-setting livestream featuring creators like MrBeast, Adin Ross, and xQc, where $12 million was raised in a single stream. The event brought massive visibility to the campaign and introduced millions of new supporters to the mission.
This is what happens when nonprofits meet donors where they are. Crypto is not just another payment method. It is a catalyst for scale.
How to Leverage Bitcoin Pizza Day
🍕 Launch a themed campaign
Tie your fundraiser to the original 10,000 Bitcoin story. Encourage supporters to donate in crypto, even in small amounts, as part of a larger collective goal.
📱 Engage on social media
Share pizza-themed content, Bitcoin trivia, and impact stories. Join the broader conversation using #BitcoinPizzaDay to increase visibility.
🎓 Educate your donors
Explain how crypto donations work and why they are impactful. Many donors are unaware of the benefits of donating cryptocurrency.
📊 Highlight impact clearly
Show exactly how contributions translate into real-world results. Crypto donors respond to outcomes.
The Bigger Opportunity
Bitcoin Pizza Day is not just a one-day campaign. It is a gateway into a much larger shift in fundraising.
Today’s donors expect flexibility. They want to give crypto, stock, and donor-advised funds directly through your website. Organizations that adapt to these expectations are unlocking larger gifts and building stronger donor relationships.
The nonprofits that succeed in this next era will be the ones that make giving easy, modern, and aligned with how donors manage their wealth.
Get Started with Crypto Fundraising
Crypto Philanthropy is here to stay, and the opportunity is only growing.
Sign up with The Giving Block to start accepting crypto donations and connect with the next generation of donors.
