The amount of Bitcoin these 3 people lost adds up to an astonishing $2 billion
Published on Aug 09, 2025 at 4:10 PM (UTC-4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Aug 09, 2025 at 4:10 PM (UTC-4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
These three people have lost access to their Bitcoin stacks, which is a shame because it means they lost access to around $2 billion worth of BTC.
Even though all three lost a fortune, these three stories couldn’t be more different.
One of these three people is basically making a career out of this.
And then there’s the guy who famously spent billions worth of BTC on pizza.
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The reasons why these Bitcoin stories are so different
James Howells and Ellie Hart have one thing in common: they both lost a fortune after accidentally throwing out a hard drive containing the keys to their Bitcoin stack.
But there’s one key difference.
Ellie Hart accidentally threw away a pen drive with the private keys to access 32 BTC, while Howells lost 8,000 BTC.
This means Hart threw away $3.8 million at today’s rate, but Howells lost $920 million.
Ouch.
Still, at least Howells is sort of making a career out of this.
His story is well known, and he’s even gaining celebrity.
Then we’ve got Laszlo Hanyecz, and even though he ‘lost’ more than anyone else, people call him a pioneer.
And there’s a good reason why.
The guy that famously spent billions worth of BTC on pizza
It’d probably be unfair to say that Hanyecz ‘lost’ 10,000 BTC, but it would be correct to say he missed out on a fortune.
Back when Bitcoin was just an infant, a man named Laszlo Hanyecz spent 10,000 BTC on two pizzas.
The pizzas only cost the equivalent of $40 at the time but fast-forward to 2025 and 10,000 BTC is enough to make you a billionaire.
Laszlo was a very early adopter, and he’s always maintained that he has no regrets.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Laszlo said to him it was ‘just a free pizza’.
“I decided to do the pizza thing because, to me, it was free pizza. I got pizza for contributing to an open-source project,” he said.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
