The cryptocurrency investor who gifted Reform UK leader Nigel Farage £5 million has been named one of Britain's wealthiest billionaires on the 2026 Sunday Times Rich List. Christopher Harborne, whose political donations have set new records, entered the list at sixth place with an estimated fortune of £18.2 billion.
Harborne's wealth and background
Living in Thailand for over two decades, the British billionaire has built his wealth through investments in financial firms, including Tether, a crypto platform valued at around $200 billion. He also holds major stakes in London-listed defence technology company Qinetiq, payments provider IFX, and other aerospace businesses. Researchers suggest his true wealth may be even higher, as some assets are held overseas and could not be fully assessed.
Political donations and controversy
Harborne's £5 million gift to Farage in 2024 has drawn scrutiny. Farage faces an investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards for failing to declare the donation, which he claims was for personal security. Separately, Harborne donated £9 million to Reform in August 2025, the largest single donation from a living person to a UK political party.
Other notable entries and trends
Revolut co-founder Nikolay Storonsky ranks seventh with £16.4 billion, rising fastest with daily gains of £25.8 million. Alex Gerko of XTX Markets follows with £16 billion. Both Moscow-born entrepreneurs renounced Russian citizenship and oppose Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
Sir James Dyson fell £8.8 billion to £12 billion, dropping to 13th place, hit by US tariffs under President Trump. The list also reveals a wealth exodus: one in six previous entrants left the UK, moving to Dubai, Switzerland, or Monaco due to non-dom crackdowns and inheritance tax changes.
Robert Watts, compiler of the Rich List, warned: "Many foreign billionaires have moved away, and more British nationals are now resident in Dubai, Switzerland, and Monaco. This poses challenges for the UK economy and public finances."
