Reform UK leader Farage says crypto donations have begun

By Phoebe Seers

LONDON, Oct 22 (Reuters) - British populist party Reform UK's leader Nigel Farage told Reuters on Wednesday the party had begun receiving crypto donations, but denied it was copying U.S. President Donald Trump's playbook as it seeks support from the digital asset industry.

In the latest in a series of appeals to the sector, Farage sought to position himself as the "only hope" for UK crypto businesses, speaking at a crypto conference in London.

Farage said Reform UK had already received a couple of donations in the form of crypto assets, without giving details.

Asked by Reuters if any crypto asset businesses were donors, Farage said "not that I’m aware of" and "we might have had some sponsorship at the conference".

President Trump wooed the cryptocurrency industry on the campaign trail, pitching himself as a "crypto president". The industry has emerged as a major lobbying force in U.S. politics.

Reform UK has only five of the 650 seats in Britain's parliament but is leading in public opinion polls, although a general election is not due until 2029. Farage, who is known for his role in Brexit and anti-immigration stance, is a friend of Trump.

When asked if he was seeking to replicate Trump's campaign strategy by appealing to crypto supporters, Farage said that he was publicly in favour of crypto before Trump.

"No, no, I was way before Trump ... I came out publicly with this in 2020, and he came out for it much, much, later," he said.

Farage declined to comment about Trump's election campaign strategy.

"I have got some crypto investments in the long term but just occasionally, when I fancy the market, I have a bit of fun," he also told the conference.

Reform became the first British party to accept donations in the form of bitcoin earlier this year, the BBC has reported.

The UK government said last month it would cooperate with the U.S. on its approach to cryptocurrencies.