Christopher Harborne, a cryptocurrency tycoon who also goes by the Thai name Chakrit Sakunkrit, has donated more than £22 million to Reform UK over the past seven years, making up two-thirds of the party's funding. The 60-year-old, born in Mosborough near Sheffield, naturalised in Thailand in 2011 and owns the Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary on Koh Samui. His August 2023 donation of £9 million was the largest single political gift from a living donor, followed by £3 million in November.
Harborne's wealth stems from early investments in cryptocurrency. He is a part-owner of Tether, the company behind the world's most traded stablecoin, which has issued $184 billion in digital currency. Tether, registered in El Salvador, has been described as the most profitable company per employee, but its stablecoins have also been used by criminals and sanctions-busters.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has championed Tether and cryptocurrency, calling for London to become a global trading hub. In September 2023, he criticised the Bank of England's proposed cap on stablecoin ownership, saying it would drive friends to emigrate. Farage insists Harborne seeks nothing in return for his donations, stating he simply believes Britain has not capitalised on Brexit and needs to embrace 21st-century technology.
Harborne, described by his lawyers as an 'intensely private person', has not publicly explained his motives. His backing has made Reform UK the bookmakers' favourite to win the most seats at the next general election.
