Who is Ben Delo? British crypto billionaire pardoned by Trump donates £36m to Reform UK

British crypto investor Ben Delo has pledged £36 million ($48.7) to Reform UK, giving Nigel Farage’s party its biggest political donation as it prepares for a possible run at government.

Delo, co-founder of cryptocurrency trading platform BitMEX, said he would provide £1 million a month until the next UK general election, expected by mid-2029. He said the funding would help Reform prepare for government and compete with Labour and the Conservatives.

The donation is the largest single contribution recorded for a British political party, according to the Electoral Commission’s database. It is more than three times the £10 million previously donated to the Conservatives by businessman John Sainsbury, who died in 2022.

Delo has already donated £8 million to Reform and has been a long-standing supporter of the party. The British crypto entrepreneur was convicted in the United States of violating the Bank Secrecy Act and was later pardoned by US President Donald Trump, Reuters reported.

In an opinion article published by The Telegraph, Delo said his experience of running a startup under intense scrutiny had influenced his decision to continue backing Reform.

He argued that the party should focus less on fundraising and put more resources into developing policies and preparing legislation ahead of a potential return to government.