Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has received £20 million in donations from cryptocurrency investors since the last general election, according to an analysis of Electoral Commission data, with crypto-linked funding now accounting for almost 60% of the party’s total donations amid a growing government crackdown on political funding transparency.
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has received £20 million in donations from individuals associated with cryptocurrency since the 2024 general election, according to an analysis of Electoral Commission data. The figures show that around 60% of the right-wing, Eurosceptic party’s total funding since the start of 2024 has come from wealthy individuals connected to the digital currency sector. The largest sum, £15 million, came from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, whose separate £5 million personal donation to Farage is the subject of an ongoing parliamentary investigation.
Who is funding Reform
Electoral Commission records show Harborne’s donations to Reform UK totalled £15 million across three separate payments: £9 million in July 2025, £3 million in November 2025, and a further £3 million in January 2026.
Other significant donors include Ben Peter Delo, founder of cryptocurrency trading platform BitMEX, who gave two payments of £2 million to the party this year, followed by a further £2 million donation in January 2026, according to Electoral Commission records. Maria Rost, wife of US crypto investor John Rost, has made nine separate payments to the party totalling £125,000.
Further donations came from Simon William Smith, a London-based bitcoin investor who founded a company enabling content creators to sell content in exchange for Bitcoin, who donated £116,000 ahead of the 2024 general election. Oscar Townsley, founder of Bitcoin derivatives trading firm A1X, gave the party £30,000 last year. By comparison, the Conservative Party received £82,250 from Alan Eldad Howard, a hedge fund manager and crypto investor, during the same period.
Reform’s unique position on crypto funding
Reform is reported to be the only party currently represented in Parliament to have opened a cryptocurrency wallet specifically for accepting donations, a distinction that has placed the party at the centre of the wider debate over crypto and political funding in Britain.
Despite this, the House of Commons Library has noted that, as of February 2026, the Electoral Commission said no political party had formally reported donations specifically identified as cryptoassets. This distinguishes direct donations made in cryptocurrency itself from donations made by wealthy individuals whose personal fortunes originated in the crypto sector, the category that accounts for the bulk of Reform’s crypto-linked funding.
Government response
The scale of crypto-linked political funding has prompted a significant policy response. A government-commissioned review has recommended a moratorium on political donations made directly in cryptoassets, and the government has since announced plans to legislate on the issue. The review forms part of a broader government examination into the potential role of foreign influence, overseas-based donors and cryptocurrency in UK political finance, with proposed reforms including tighter restrictions on donations from overseas as well as the cryptoasset moratorium.
The Harborne investigation
A parliamentary standards investigation into Farage’s separate £5 million personal gift from Christopher Harborne was formally opened in May. The payment was reportedly made before Farage announced he would stand as a candidate in the 2024 general election. Farage has said the money was intended to cover his personal security costs, though questions have been raised over whether the payment should have been declared under parliamentary rules.
A widening controversy
Scrutiny of Harborne and his associates has since extended beyond the original donation. Recent reports have linked companies and individuals connected to major Reform donors to an unlicensed gambling platform, prompting Labour to call for the Gambling Commission to launch an investigation. Labour has specifically called for scrutiny of Tether.bet and Fispay, with questions raised over whether gambling services were offered or supported in the UK without the appropriate licensing. Those connected to the companies have denied any wrongdoing.
The broader funding controversy has also spilled into legal action. Farage and Reform deputy leader Richard Tice have launched proceedings against the National Crime Agency, alleging that confidential banking information relating to them was leaked to the media. The NCA’s Professional Standards Unit is now investigating their complaint.
Reform’s wider fundraising performance
The party has continued to significantly outpace several rivals in fundraising more broadly. Electoral Commission figures show Reform reported almost £10 million in total donations during the first quarter of 2026, including more than £9.2 million in donations excluding public funds, underlining the scale of the party’s financial position as scrutiny of its funding sources continues to intensify.
