Crypto billionaire Ben Delo donates £36m to Nigel Farage's Reform UK

Details of the £36 million contribution

Cryptocurrency entrepreneur Ben Delo has donated £36 million (42 million euros) to the British right-wing populist party Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage. The donation is the largest in United Kingdom political party history, surpassing the previous record established during the prior year. Delo, the 42-year-old billionaire co-founder of the cryptocurrency platform BitMEX, announced the contribution on Friday in comments to the Daily Telegraph newspaper. He explained that his decision stemmed from the fact that the anti-immigration party is not as financially well-positioned as the governing Labour Party and the Conservative Party. Delo stated that his financial backing is intended to foster fair competition across the British political spectrum.

I want a fair fight and a level playing field.

Donor background and legal history

Delo currently resides in Hong Kong and had already directed significant funding to Reform UK earlier in the year, contributing a total of £4 million across January and March. In 2022, the entrepreneur pleaded guilty in the United States to charges of violating the Bank Secrecy Act in connection with his cryptocurrency business operations. United States President Donald Trump granted Delo a presidential pardon in 2025. Delo stated that his £36 million contribution is intended to help Reform UK prepare itself to enter government. He also criticized traditional political rivals, stating that other actors only superficially express concern for the health of British democracy while taking measures to ensure the political system remains a cartel.

Response from Nigel Farage and previous donation records

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage responded to the record funding during an interview with the Daily Telegraph, stating that he felt honoured and humbled by the trust that Delo placed in the party. Delo's £36 million gift exceeds the previous high mark for a single political donation in the United Kingdom, which was set in 2025 by another cryptocurrency billionaire, Christopher Harborne. Harborne had contributed £9 million, also directed to Reform UK. The scale of the latest donation provides Farage's party with substantial private financial backing as it establishes broader organizational operations across the country.

Polling trends and British parliamentary timeline

Reform UK had led British public opinion polls starting in 2025, positioning itself ahead of the traditional Westminster parties. However, following several financial controversies, the party recently fell behind the governing Labour Party in voter surveys. Labour experienced renewed political momentum following a change at the top of the party and government in July, when Andy Burnham replaced Keir Starmer as party leader and prime minister. Under the current legislative timetable, the next United Kingdom general election is scheduled to take place in the summer of 2029.