Two Crypto Billionaires Just Gave Reform UK £72 Million, the Largest Political Donation in British History
memeburn.com Sep 17, 2026

Two Crypto Billionaires Just Gave Reform UK £72 Million, the Largest Political Donation in British History

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

On 11 and 12 September 2026, crypto entrepreneurs Ben Delo, co‑founder of BitMEX, and Christopher Harborne, a major Tether investor, each contributed £36 million in cash to Reform UK, bringing the party’s total donation to £72 million—the largest single political contribution in British history. The gifts surpass the previous record of £10 million and exceed the combined fundraising of every registered UK party in 2025. Both donors chose fiat payments, deliberately avoiding the UK’s March 2026 ban on cryptocurrency‑based political donations. Reform UK has pledged a Bank of England‑held bitcoin reserve, a cut to crypto capital‑gains tax from 24 % to 10 %, and a legal ban on crypto‑related debanking. The Representation of the People Bill, currently in the Lords, would retrospectively cap overseas‑elector donations at £100,000 annually, leaving the status of these contributions uncertain.

💡 Why It Matters

  • · The cash donations sidestep new crypto‑donation restrictions, giving Reform UK unprecedented financial firepower to push a pro‑crypto agenda while lawmakers scramble to close the regulatory loophole.