A cryptocurrency billionaire has given more than £22 million to Nigel Farage's Reform UK party, making it the most dependent British political party on a single donor. Christopher Harborne, who also uses the Thai name Chakrit Sakunkrit, has provided two-thirds of the party's funding since 2017, including a record £9 million donation in August 2024.
Harborne, 62, was born in Mosborough, near Sheffield, and naturalised in Thailand in 2011. He owns the Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary on Koh Samui, where he hosted Farage in December 2022. Despite his substantial contributions, Harborne has given no public explanation for his donations. Farage has claimed the tycoon seeks nothing in return, simply believing Brexit has not been fully exploited.
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 linked to illicit activities including money laundering and sanctions evasion, though Farage has championed the company, calling for London to become a global crypto hub.
Farage's party, buoyed by Harborne's cash, is now the bookmakers' favourite to win the most seats at the next general election. The donations have raised questions about the influence of a single, secretive benefactor on British politics.
