Farage’s Reform UK gets $97M from two crypto billionaires
Reported by Cointelegraph · AI-assisted summary by ChikoCorp AI News Desk
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Summary
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party received a total of 72 million pounds ($97 million) from two cryptocurrency billionaires after Christopher Harborne matched a large donation from Ben Delo. Harborne contributed 36 million pounds following Delo’s similar donation, which represents the largest donations ever made to a British political party. Delo, co-founder of BitMEX, made his donation upfront to circumvent restrictions, and both donors said they expected no influence or favors in return.
Why it matters
The substantial crypto-linked donations have raised concerns about the influence of digital asset wealth on UK politics. The funding enables Reform UK to contest the next general election with improved resources, with Farage describing it as creating a “level playing field.” There is also political discussion about potentially imposing a permanent ban on crypto donations to UK parties in light of these events.
Key context
Farage resigned his parliamentary seat amid investigation into crypto-related donations and subsequently won a by-election with 63% of the vote. Ben Delo is a BitMEX co-founder who pleaded guilty to US federal charges and paid fines but was pardoned by former President Trump in 2025. Previous concerns over crypto donations have led Labour MPs to consider restraining or banning such contributions pending legislation.
Key numbers and entities
Reform UK; Nigel Farage; Christopher Harborne; Ben Delo; George Cottrell; BitMEX; 72 million pounds total ($97 million); 36 million pounds each donation; $10 million fine paid by Delo; 63% by-election vote share for Farage.
What remains unclear
The source does not detail how UK regulatory authorities will proceed with investigations into these donations or what specific legislative measures might be enacted in response. It also does not specify how Reform UK plans to allocate the funds or whether there will be broader crypto industry reactions to this political funding development.