Reform Party Receives Record $97 Million From Crypto Billionaires.
Ben Delo, co-founder of cryptocurrency trading platform BitMEX, is giving £36 million to Nigel Farage's Reform UK party. The sum is the largest donation ever made to a British political party.
- £36 million equals roughly $48.7 million at current exchange rates.
- Reform has raised £38 million total since launching in 2021.
- Delo was convicted in the U.S. in 2022 for anti-money laundering failures at BitMEX, then pardoned by President Trump.
- Delo had already given Reform £8 million across four donations in 2026.
Why it matters: The donation reshapes Reform's financial position ahead of the next election, but lands amid active law-enforcement scrutiny of the party's funding.
- The Metropolitan Police has opened a criminal investigation into allegations Reform accepted illegal foreign donations.
- A separate parliamentary probe is examining an undeclared £5 million payment made directly to Farage.
How 17 sources split on this story
Where they split: Coverage agrees on the facts but differs in how much weight to give the criminal investigation relative to the donation's political significance.
Center coverage, 6 sources: The center treats the donation primarily as a significant financial and electoral development, noting Delo's legal history and Reform's challenger status without leading on the investigations.
Reuters16hReform UK receives second £36 million donation in 48 hours, Telegraph reports
BBC News12hNewscast - How Reform's £72 Million Mega Donations Change UK Politics - BBC Sounds
Sky News16hWho are Reform UK's two mega-donors?
Bloomberg15hFarage’s Reform Raises Record £72 Million in Less Than 24 HoursCNCTV News13hCrypto billionaires give $97 million to Reform UK
Associated Press15hCrypto billionaires give $97 million to Reform UK, fueling concerns about money in politicsLeft coverage, 3 sources: The left emphasizes the donation's arrival amid criminal and parliamentary investigations, and places it in the context of broader concerns about Reform's funding practices.
Daily Mail5hMAIL ON SUNDAY COMMENT: Farage should use his £72million windfall to help professionalise Reform
The Gateway Pundit11hWOW: Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Receives SECOND $48 Million Donation in 24 Hours! * The Gateway Pundit * by Paul Serran
The Sun16hNigel Farage secures ANOTHER £36m donation from second crypto billionaire in under 24 hours
Breitbart News15hReform UK Receives Record £72 Million in Two Donations in 24 Hours
Citizen Free Press10hCrypto billionaires donate $97 million to Nigel Farage Reform party — AP is triggered.
Just the News1dReform UK party receives another donation worth nearly $50 million
The National Pulse18hNigel Farage’s Reform Party Receives Largest Donation in British Political History.
Wall Street Journal11hU.K.’s Reform Party Rakes In Record $97 Million Donations From Crypto WorldWhat’s next: Delo said he structured the gift to pre-empt any parliamentary move to restrict Reform's funding.
- The Metropolitan Police investigation into Reform's foreign-funding allegations is ongoing.
- Will the Metropolitan Police investigation affect Reform's ability to use the donated funds?
- How will other parties respond legislatively to a single donor of this scale?