Farage’s Reform UK gets biggest donation ever from crypto billionaire: Reports

Ben Delo, a British crypto billionaire, gave 36 million pounds ($49 million) to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in the biggest donation ever made to a British political party, the DPA and other media reported on Saturday.

Delo, who co-founded the BitMEX cryptocurrency exchange, said he had given the money to ensure a “fair fight” at the polls.

Farage said: “I am honored and humbled that Ben Delo has shown such confidence in Reform. … Ben knows that we are the only party that can turn the country around and reverse Britain’s decline.”

Delo was previously the second-biggest donor to Reform UK behind billionaire Christopher Harborne, who gave 9 million pounds to the party last August.

Cointelegraph reported last month that Farage was under investigation after receiving millions of dollars’ worth of donations and gifts from two figures tied to the crypto industry: Harborne and George Cottrell.

Related: UK politicians mull permanent crypto donation ban in wake of Nigel Farage scandal

The UK lawmaker resigned his position as a member of Parliament in July amid the crypto scandal, triggering a controversial by-election that Farage won with 63% of the vote, ahead of satirical candidate Count Binface.

The contributions tied to the crypto industry have raised questions from many lawmakers about the influence of digital assets on UK politics.