Most British voters probably haven’t heard the name Ben Delo until recently, but he has just positioned himself as one of the most influential figures in domestic politics. By donating a record breaking 36 million pounds to Reform UK, Delo has provided the party with an unprecedented war chest ahead of the next general election. This massive contribution has already sparked a chain reaction, prompting long time supporter Christopher Harborne to match the amount, ensuring that Nigel Farage and his allies are exceptionally well funded for their upcoming campaigns.
The story behind Delo’s fortune reads like a blueprint for modern tech success. Born in Sheffield and diagnosed with Asperger syndrome at age eleven, he excelled under structured support at a state secondary school before heading to Oxford University, where he earned a double first in mathematics and computer science. After starting his career as a software engineer at IBM and working within high frequency trading for various hedge funds and banks, he eventually moved to Hong Kong in 2012. It was there that his early interest in cryptocurrency paid off when he co founded BitMex, an online derivatives platform that once handled over a trillion dollars in annual trading volume.
While his technical achievements include inventing the perpetual swap, often cited as one of the most important tools in crypto history, Delo’s path hasn’t been without controversy. In 2022, he was convicted in the United States for failing to implement proper anti money laundering controls at BitMex, resulting in a ten million dollar fine and probation. However, this legal hurdle was cleared after he received a pardon from President Donald Trump. Despite these setbacks, Delo remains committed to large scale giving; he was one of the youngest signatories of The Giving Pledge in 2019 and claims to have donated over 100 million pounds toward causes such as neurodiversity and academic freedom.
Now returned to the UK, Delo has shifted some of his philanthropic focus toward what he calls national renewal. Driven by rationalist principles and a belief that Britain has been failed by its governing classes for decades, he fears the country is sliding into a cycle of economic stagnation and social fracture. For Delo, supporting Reform UK is not just about politics but about challenging established orthodoxies to prevent further decline. Through this staggering financial commitment, it is clear that he views Nigel Farage as the primary vehicle for delivering the radical change he believes the nation requires.