Nigel Farage made an appearance the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas. Speaking to a crowd of crypto-enthusiasts, the aspiring UK PM pledged to make London a global hub for cryptocurrency.
The Reform UK leader promised to “bring Britain properly into the 21st century” with a new Crypto Assets and Digital Finance Bill. The draft legislation proposes cutting capital gains tax on crypto to 10%, creating a Bitcoin reserve at the Bank of England, and banning banks from closing accounts of legal crypto users.
Farage announced that Reform UK is now the first British political party to accept donations in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The party’s website was updated during the conference, and a disclaimer confirms all donations must comply with UK electoral rules.
“Crypto, Bitcoin, digital assets – they are here to stay,” Farage said, holding up a printed copy of his draft bill. “We will campaign for this, and we will put it in place at the next general election.”
Farage’s crypto pitch in Las Vegas follows a trend of UK politicians using international stages to announce their economic vision. These announcements are as much for global investors as they are for domestic voters.
In 2022, former PM Rishi Sunak announced at fintech summits and digital trade missions that the UK would become a “global hub for crypto”. Before that, in 2015, George Osborne gave a speech at the Shanghai G20 meeting outlining his ambition to make London the global centre for renminbi trading.
These overseas pronouncements often blend economic policy with soft-power signalling. They are not naked policy declarations, but attempts to achieve political goals. In this case, Farage is clearly trying to attract the attention of crypto investors and tech experts.
Farage also praised the US for its embrace of digital assets. He criticised UK politicians for their lack of action, singling out both Labour and Conservatives. “Rishi Sunak made one speech about crypto. Labour’s cabinet is full of people who’ve never worked in the real world,” he told the audience.
Party chairman Zia Yusuf added that allowing tax payments in Bitcoin could generate up to £1bn over a decade by encouraging cryptocurrency holders to bring their assets onshore. While some question the appeal of this kind of “crypto policy”, Farage is betting that digital finance will be an important issue in the years to come.
