Key facts
- Christopher Harborne matched Ben Delo's £36 million donation to Reform UK.
- The combined donations of £72 million are the largest ever to a UK political party.
- Ben Delo, co-founder of BitMEX, was convicted in the US and pardoned by Donald Trump.
- Neither Delo nor Harborne's recent donations were made in crypto, as Britain banned crypto political donations in March.
Christopher Harborne has matched a record £36 million donation to the Reform UK party, previously made by crypto billionaire Ben Delo. This dual donation marks the largest ever to a UK political party, totaling £72 million, which exceeds the roughly £69 million all UK parties raised last year.
Ben Delo, co-founder of BitMEX, made the initial £36 million contribution on Saturday, setting a new record for a single donation to a British political party. He had already given £8 million this year and plans to donate the equivalent of £1 million a month until the next potential election in 2029, paying upfront to prevent it from being blocked. Delo was convicted in the US for anti-money laundering failures at BitMEX and was pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump in 2025.
Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based Tether investor who has previously given Reform UK £15 million since the last election, matched Delo's donation on Saturday, stating his "competitive spirit" prompted the move. He expects "nothing, personally" in return.
Reform UK stated the funds will be used to hire policy experts and campaign managers. The party is now "on election footing," according to a spokesman. Neither Delo nor Harborne's recent donations were made in cryptocurrency, as Britain banned crypto political donations in March. The party is currently under criminal investigation over its funding, though not specifically related to these two donations.