Christopher Harborne, the cryptocurrency billionaire who has donated £12m to Reform UK, has said he is no longer interested in a pact between Reform and the Conservative Party before the next general election. The Thailand-based investor had previously urged Nigel Farage to keep an open mind about such a deal, but has now changed his position.
In an emailed statement to the Guardian, Harborne said: “In the past this was possibly the case, but it is no longer the case.” He also expressed support for cryptocurrency regulation in the UK, a stance that aligns with Farage’s advocacy for wider adoption of digital assets.
Harborne’s donations have propelled Reform’s fundraising ahead of other major parties, with the party receiving £5.5m in the final quarter of last year, compared to £1.9m for Labour and £2.4m for the Conservatives. Reform has promised to make the UK a “premier hub” for cryptocurrency and to cut capital gains tax on it to 10%.
Harborne, who also donated £10m to the Brexit Party in 2019 and has given money to the Conservatives and Boris Johnson’s private office, derives much of his wealth from cryptocurrency investments, including a 12% stake in Tether. He denied that his friendship with Farage aide George Cottrell influenced his donations.
