Ben Delo’s £4m donation to Reform UK adds to the party’s total from crypto billionaire

Reform UK receives second £4 million donation from Ben Delo

The UK’s Reform Party has received another £4 million ($5.4 million) from pardoned BitMEX founder Ben Delo. He has already donated £4 million to the party earlier this year.

Delo helped fund the social media campaigns of multiple right-wing parties through a Westminster political hub. Donald Trump pardoned him in 2025 after he was convicted of failing to implement money laundering checks at his crypto exchange BitMEX.

Key numbers

• £4 million: new donation from Ben Delo
• £8 million: total donations from Delo to Reform UK this year
• $5.4 million: estimated US dollar value of the new gift

Donor background

Ben Delo previously faced legal action for not following anti-money laundering rules at BitMEX, a cryptocurrency exchange. After serving time, he received a pardon from Donald Trump in 2025.

What is still unclear

The article notes that Reform UK was recently involved in a separate scandal regarding illegal foreign donations. However, it is unconfirmed whether the new donation from Delo is connected to those allegations or how UK election finance laws apply to this latest payment.

Why it matters

This latest donation increases Delo’s influence within UK politics. It comes at a time when Reform UK is facing scrutiny over foreign funding and internal disputes. The party leader Nigel Farage and other officials were recently filmed discussing secret polls funded by an undercover journalist posing as the son of a wealthy American donor.

Sources

• Protos