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BitMEX co-founder contributed 75% of Reform UK’s donations in Q2 2026

BitMEX co-founder Ben Delo donated 75% of Reform UK's donations in Q2 2026, raising questions about crypto industry influence on UK politics.

By Turner Wright staff writer·Sep 3·cointelegraph.com·2 min read

Intelligence analysis by Qwen 2.5 (3B)

BitMEX co-founder contributed 75% of Reform UK’s donations in Q2 2026
Image: cointelegraph.com

UK political party Reform UK received significant donations from crypto-industry figures, including BitMEX co-founder Ben Delo, raising concerns about potential influence on policies.

Why it matters

The donation from Ben Delo, a prominent figure in the crypto industry, highlights the potential for digital assets to influence UK politics and raises questions about regulatory oversight.

A man named Ben Delo who owns a company called BitMEX gave a lot of money to a group that wants to change the rules in the UK. This money came from people who use special coins called crypto. Some people are worried that this might make the group have more power than they should.

Analysis

{"

Ben Delo's Contributions to Reform UK":"Ben Delo, the co-founder of BitMEX, made two significant contributions to Reform UK in the second quarter of 2026. The first contribution was 1 million pounds, equivalent to approximately $1.3 million, and the second was 3 million pounds, or about $4 million. These donations accounted for 74% of all funds reported in the second quarter of 2026. Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, has been under investigation for receiving millions of dollars in donations from figures tied to the crypto industry. The contributions from Delo and others have sparked discussions about the influence of digital assets on UK politics.","

Nigel Farage's Investigation and Resignation":"Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, has been under investigation for receiving donations from figures associated with the crypto industry. In July, Farage resigned his position as a member of parliament amid the crypto scandal. The controversy led to a by-election, where Farage won 63% of the vote, ahead of a satirical candidate. The contributions from crypto-industry figures have raised concerns among lawmakers about the influence of digital assets on UK politics.","

Regulatory Response":"In response to the crypto donations, Labour MPs have considered imposing a moratorium on crypto donations, which was initially imposed in March. The UK crime agency has also frozen $13.5 million in response to the crypto scandal. The involvement of prominent figures in the crypto industry, such as Ben Delo, has brought attention to the need for stronger regulatory measures to prevent potential misuse of digital assets in political donations."}

Key points

  • Ben Delo, co-founder of BitMEX, donated 75% of Reform UK's donations in Q2 2026
  • Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, is under investigation for receiving donations from crypto-industry figures
  • The contributions from crypto-industry figures have raised concerns about the influence of digital assets on UK politics
The Upside

If the regulatory measures are put in place, it could prevent similar situations from happening in the future.

The Downside

If the regulatory measures are not put in place, it could lead to more misuse of digital assets in political donations.

Originally reported at

cointelegraph.com

Discernion covers the story. Read the full piece at the source.

Tagscryptouk-politicsdonationsinfluenceregulation

Author

Turner Wright staff writer

Intelligence analysis by

Qwen 2.5 (3B)

Published

Sep 3, 2026

Source

cointelegraph.com

Share

Topics

cryptouk-politicsdonationsinfluenceregulation

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