British Crypto Billionaires Funnel Nearly $50 Million Each to Far-Right Reform UK
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Two cryptocurrency billionaires have each pledged about $49 million to the extremist Reform UK party, raising total contributions to nearly $97 million as authorities investigate the party’s questionable funding sources.
Two British cryptocurrency investors have each pledged close to $49 million to Reform UK, a far-right political party notorious for its xenophobic rhetoric and founded by former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage. The massive donations, announced by Christopher Harborne and previously by BitMEX co-founder Ben Delo, bring the total amount pledged to the party since Friday to an alarming $97 million.
Harborne, a 63-year-old investor based in Thailand, described his $48.7 million contribution as a 'philanthropic gift,' claiming he was inspired to match Delo’s earlier pledge. Delo, 42, co-founded the controversial BitMEX cryptocurrency exchange, which has faced scrutiny for its business practices.
These donations come as London’s Metropolitan Police have opened a criminal investigation into whether Reform UK has accepted illegal foreign funding, raising serious concerns about the integrity of the UK’s political process. Reform leader Nigel Farage, infamous for stoking division, thanked the billionaire donors on X, stating the party aims to deliver a government that will 'fix Britain'—a thinly veiled appeal to nationalist sentiment.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch criticized the contributions, emphasizing that while money can buy staff and advertising, it cannot buy judgment or integrity. Polling data indicates that Reform’s support has slipped slightly after recent changes in national leadership, suggesting the public is wary of the party’s direction.
Analysts noted that the donors claim their gifts are intended to 'level the political playing field,' arguing Reform lacks the financial infrastructure of mainstream parties. However, Reform UK, formerly the Brexit Party, has positioned itself as an anti-establishment alternative, exploiting growing voter dissatisfaction with traditional parties to push a reactionary agenda.