A reclusive multi-millionaire, who amassed a vast fortune through cryptocurrency investments, has emerged as the single largest financial backer of Nigel Farage's Reform UK party. Christopher Harborne, based in Thailand, has injected a staggering £9 million into the party's coffers, cementing his role as a pivotal figure in the current political landscape.
From Thai Retreat to Tory and Reform Bankroller
Christopher Harborne is a figure who deliberately shuns the spotlight, describing himself as "an intensely private person." Despite this, his financial influence on UK politics is both immense and direct. His latest and most significant political investment is the £9 million given to Reform UK, a move that represents a major coup for Nigel Farage.
His support for Farage is not new. Back in the 2019 election, Harborne donated £10 million to the Brexit Party, a move that coincided with Farage's decision to stand down candidates in Tory-held seats, a factor many believe contributed to Boris Johnson's landslide victory. His allegiance briefly shifted in 2022, with a £1.5 million donation to the Conservatives followed by a further £1 million to Johnson's office after he left Downing Street.
The businessman's return to funding Farage was symbolised at a glitzy Washington party in January, celebrating Donald Trump's inauguration. Harborne personally covered the £27,000 bill for Farage's three-day trip to the US capital, appearing alongside him at an event hosted by Republican pollsters and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon.
The Cryptocurrency Fortune Behind the Donations
The scale of Harborne's political donations inevitably raises questions about the source of his wealth. Legal documents from a 2024 defamation case shed light on his business interests. After studying at Cambridge and a top French business school, he worked for McKinsey before pursuing entrepreneurial ventures, many stemming from a passion for aviation.
However, it is the volatile world of cryptocurrency that has generated the bulk of his fortune. Harborne was an early investor in both Bitcoin and Ethereum, with the latter now forming "a major portion of his net worth." His most lucrative stake is in Tether, a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar. Harborne owns approximately 12% of Tether, a company that reported profits of $13 billion (£10.2bn) last year alone.
If profits are distributed according to shareholding, his annual payout could approach $1 billion. Tether, based in El Salvador, has faced scrutiny from law enforcement agencies. The UK's National Crime Agency has reported its use in money-laundering schemes linked to Russian efforts in Ukraine, though Tether states it "unequivocally condemns the illegal use of stablecoins."
Political Ambitions and Policy Alignment
When questioned about Harborne's motivations, Nigel Farage insisted the donor wants "absolutely nothing in return at all" for his multi-million pound support. However, Farage himself connected the donations to shared policy interests, particularly regarding technology and energy.
"He just happens to think we have not made the most of Brexit, that we are not getting into the 21st-century technologies, and for all the talk about datacentres, about AI and, from us at least, about crypto, we cannot do this without the most massive re-evaluation of what is currently a catastrophic energy policy," Farage stated.
This alignment is clear. Farage has publicly championed cryptocurrency, telling LBC in September he was arguing against curbs on crypto and highlighting Tether's growing valuation. With Donald Trump, who has family ties to crypto profits, now in the White House, and Harborne's wealth fuelling Reform's campaign, the intersection of digital currency and political influence has never been more pronounced in British politics.
From his wellness retreat in Thailand, under his adopted Thai name Chakrit Sakunkrit, Christopher Harborne continues to shape UK politics from afar, proving that in the digital age, political capital and cryptocurrency are increasingly interchangeable currencies.
