Crypto Investor Makes Historic £9 Million Donation to Reform UK

Reform UK has entered the final weeks of the year with a headline few expected: a single £9 million (equivalent to $12 million) donation landing in its donation account, reportedly from crypto investor and aviation entrepreneur Christopher Harborne.

The figure, published in the Electoral Commission’s newest filings, is the largest gift made by a living individual to any British political party. It also sets the stage for an election cycle where money, technology, and political realignment appear to be converging in increasingly interesting ways.

The “intelligent” one

Harborne, a British national who has lived for over two decades in Thailand under the name Chakrit Sakunkrit, which means “Intelligent One Matter of Fact,” is no stranger to UK politics. But he rarely appears in public settings, and when he does, it is usually by choice rather than invitation.

One of the few glimpses came earlier this year in Washington, where he attended a Trump inauguration celebration alongside Nigel Farage, having reportedly covered more than £27,000 in travel costs for the Reform leader’s three-day trip.

Harborne’s political flips

His £9 million donation to Reform UK marks a return to a political relationship that has moved across parties. In 2019, Harborne was a major financial backer of the Brexit Party, contributing around £10 million (split across multiple payments) during the general election period.

Later, in 2022, when the political winds shifted, he briefly directed his support toward the Conservatives, including £1 million to Boris Johnson’s office after Johnson left Downing Street.  

According to Harborne’s legal filings in a separate 2024 defamation case, he describes himself as “an intensely private person,” someone who does not give interviews or maintain public-facing social media.

Yet his donations have given him a prominent role in shaping modern British politics. Some of his giving happens behind the scenes, including reported support for rural education initiatives in Thailand.

The scale of his resources has also raised questions about their origin. Court documents and corporate disclosures point to a career that moved from McKinsey to aviation, steel, defence, and, most notably, cryptocurrency.

The crypto connection

Harborne is reported to be an early investor in Bitcoin and Ethereum and today holds a significant stake, estimated at around 12%, in Tether, the largest and most profitable companies in the crypto ecosystem.

With Tether reporting billions in annual profit and a lean workforce, reports view Harborne as a beneficiary of one of the most profitable business models in the industry.

Despite concerns raised by regulators globally over the illicit use of certain stablecoins, Harborne’s representatives argue that holding equity in a company such as Tether is no different than owning shares of a financial institution whose currency or tools are misused by bad actors.

Tether itself has repeatedly stated that it cooperates with law enforcement and aims to curb illegal activity involving its tokens.

Farage says Harborne wants “absolutely nothing” in return

Reform UK recorded more than £10.2 million in donations between July and September, its strongest fundraising quarter since rebranding from the Brexit Party.

Harborne’s donation is not in cryptocurrency despite the party’s willingness since May to accept Bitcoin donations.

Farage said he speaks with Harborne occasionally but insisted the donor “wants absolutely nothing in return,” describing him as someone who believes the UK is lagging in adopting emerging technologies.

In the same reporting period, Reform surpassed the Conservative Party’s total donations, though the Conservatives remained ahead when measured from July 2024 onward.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Harborne’s contribution was a “one-off,” arguing her party still enjoys broader support across more donors.

Liberal Democrat spokesperson Lisa Smart, meanwhile, highlighted what she called “eye-watering donations” across parties and warned that large individual contributions risk distorting electoral fairness.

Beyond party politics, Harborne’s donation comes at a time when Reform is polling competitively in national surveys ahead of local elections next spring. A Reform spokesperson said the latest figures show “incredible progress,” suggesting donors see the party as a rising force.

Harborne’s motivations, according to Farage, align strongly with technological and economic policy. Farage noted the donor’s interest in crypto, data-center development, and AI, arguing that the UK cannot attract next-generation industries without rethinking its energy policy and regulatory approach.

Harborne, on the other hand, has not publicly commented on the donation. For now, the only certainty is that his contribution has amplified a political moment.

One of the crypto sector’s most influential investors is now funding a political party whose leader reportedly wants the UK to embrace digital assets and the broader technology economy.

And while general elections are still years away, the financial groundwork appears to be forming much earlier than usual.

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