Two figures with deep ties to the cryptocurrency industry accounted for three-quarters of Reform UK’s declared private donations in the first quarter of 2026, a funding dynamic that has no real parallel in modern British politics.
Ben Delo, co-founder of the derivatives exchange BitMEX, contributed £4 million across two payments. Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based investor linked to both Tether and Bitfinex, added another £3 million. Together, their £7 million represented 75% of the £9.3 million Reform UK reported receiving from private donors during the period.
The numbers in context
Reform UK’s haul didn’t just stand out internally. The £7 million from Delo and Harborne alone represented roughly 28% of all reported political donations to UK parties that quarter.
Delo’s money arrived in two equal tranches: £2 million in January and £2 million in March. Harborne’s £3 million landed on January 23. Electoral Commission records confirm every pound was transferred in fiat currency, not digital assets.
