Reform UK raises £9.3M as crypto donors dominate funding

Two British crypto entrepreneurs account for 75% of the party's Q1 2026 haul, but looming government regulations could shut the pipeline down entirely.

Share

Add us on Google By Editorial Team · Edited by Estefano Gomez Jun. 4, 2026

Reform UK raised £9.3 million in donations during the first quarter of 2026, making it the top funded political party in the UK for the third consecutive quarter.

The party’s fundraising lead was driven largely by two crypto linked donors. Ben Delo, co founder of BitMEX, gave £4 million, while Christopher Harborne, a UK Thai crypto and aviation investor, contributed more than £3 million, according to Electoral Commission data reported by Reuters.

Together, the two donations accounted for about three quarters of Reform’s total first quarter fundraising. The figure puts Nigel Farage’s party ahead of both Labour and the Conservatives, which raised about £4 million and £4.2 million, respectively, during the same period.

Advertisement

The concentration of funding has intensified scrutiny of Reform’s donor base. Harborne has now given about £15 million to Reform over the past year, making him one of the most important financial backers behind the party’s rapid rise.

The donations follow Reform’s 2025 move to accept Bitcoin and other digital asset contributions through crypto payments platform Radom. The party framed the shift as part of a broader push to make Britain a crypto hub, while critics argued it exposed political finance to new transparency and foreign influence risks.

Those concerns are now feeding directly into UK policy. The government said in March it would move to ban crypto donations to political parties and cap annual donations from overseas based British citizens at £100,000. The proposals followed an independent review into foreign influence in UK politics.

The measures could have a direct impact on Reform. Harborne is based in Thailand, while Delo has said he is moving back to the UK from Hong Kong. Reuters reported that both donors’ international ties have drawn attention as lawmakers debate tighter rules on political funding.

Farage has pushed back against the proposed restrictions, framing them as politically motivated. Reform has also faced separate scrutiny over a reported £5 million personal gift from Harborne to Farage, which the party has said was not a political donation.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.