Reform UK Receives Record $97M Crypto Donation From BitMEX Co-Founder and Harborne

Nigel Farage's Reform UK has received a combined £72 million ($97 million) from two cryptocurrency billionaires, marking the largest donation ever made to a British political party. The contributions came from Ben Delo, co-founder of the BitMEX cryptocurrency exchange, and Christopher Harborne, with each pledging £36 million. Harborne announced his matching donation on Saturday, one day after Delo's initial contribution was made public via The Telegraph.

Delo said his donation represented £1 million per month until the next UK general election in 2029, though he paid the full amount upfront to prevent any potential legal blocks. He framed the contribution as ensuring a "fair fight" at the polls. Harborne, who had already given £9 million to Reform in August 2025, said Delo's gift inspired him to match it and explicitly stated he expected "no peerage, no policy change, just a party that is ready for government." Farage welcomed both donations, saying the funding would allow Reform to contest the next general election on "a level playing field."

The donations have intensified scrutiny over crypto industry influence in UK politics. Farage resigned from Parliament in July amid a scandal involving gifts and donations from Harborne and George Cottrell, both figures tied to the crypto sector. He subsequently won the resulting by-election with 63% of the vote. Labour MPs have responded by pushing to make a moratorium on crypto donations—announced in March pending legislation—permanent, citing concerns about undisclosed gifts to Farage.

Delo himself has a controversial history in crypto. As one of three BitMEX co-founders, he pleaded guilty to federal charges in the United States related to Bank Secrecy Act violations. He agreed to a $10 million fine in 2022 but did not serve prison time, alongside co-founders Arthur Hayes and Samuel Reed, who received presidential pardons. The Reform UK donations underscore how crypto wealth continues to reshape political fundraising, raising fresh questions about transparency and regulation in the UK's electoral system.