BitMEX Co-Founder Ben Delo Contributes $5.1 Million to Reform UK

Ben Delo, the co-founder of cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX, has revealed a £4 million (approximately $5.1 million) donation to Nigel Farage's Reform UK party. In a recent opinion piece, Delo stated that the funds, contributed since the start of the year, are intended to help build the party into a genuine alternative for government. While the specific medium of the donation—whether fiat or cryptocurrency—was not disclosed, Delo expressed support for a proposed UK government moratorium on political donations made via cryptoassets, citing the inherent regulatory complexities of digital assets. The donation comes as the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer implements an immediate moratorium on cryptocurrency donations to political parties. This regulatory shift is driven by concerns that digital assets could be used to hide the origins and motivations of political funding, framing crypto payments as a democratic risk and a potential vector for foreign interference. Currently, the UK Electoral Commission treats cryptocurrency contributions as non-monetary donations that must be valued in pounds at the time of receipt. However, the proposed moratorium may apply retrospectively to contributions received starting March 25, 2026. Delo is not the only figure from the digital asset space backing the party. Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based entrepreneur with investments in Bitfinex and Tether, previously contributed £9 million to Reform UK, signaling a trend of high-net-worth crypto investors supporting the movement.