v3.26.1
Investment in Securities (Summary of Investment in Securities) (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Dec. 31, 2025
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 596,860 $ 565,244
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (252,107) (245,735)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 876,281 789,184
Gross Unrealized Gains 57,921 56,778
Gross Unrealized Losses (94,608) (83,782)
Investment Owned At Fair Value, Net 839,594 762,180
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) [1],[2] 1,136,825 1,034,882
Securities sold short, at fair value $ (297,231) $ (272,702)
Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 5.05% 5.21%
Weighted Average Yield 8.25% 8.27%
Weighted average life 5 years 18 days 5 years 3 months 10 days
Long    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 896,758 $ 836,079
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (251,729) (244,558)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 1,176,557 1,061,196
Gross Unrealized Gains 54,861 56,319
Gross Unrealized Losses (94,593) (82,633)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 1,136,825 $ 1,034,882
Long | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 5.43% 5.61%
Weighted Average Yield 9.41% 9.42%
Weighted average life 4 years 8 months 26 days 4 years 9 months 21 days
Long | 15-year fixed-rate mortgages    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 4,874 $ 5,271
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (16) (20)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 4,858 5,251
Gross Unrealized Gains 25 47
Gross Unrealized Losses (104) (94)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 4,779 $ 5,204
Long | 15-year fixed-rate mortgages | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 3.50% 3.50%
Weighted Average Yield 3.68% 3.77%
Weighted average life 2 years 5 months 1 day 2 years 6 months
Long | 30-year fixed-rate mortgages    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 204,988 $ 209,771
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (471) (356)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 204,517 209,415
Gross Unrealized Gains 1,928 2,564
Gross Unrealized Losses (14,469) (14,106)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 191,976 $ 197,873
Long | 30-year fixed-rate mortgages | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 3.92% 3.93%
Weighted Average Yield 3.62% 3.84%
Weighted average life 7 years 2 months 26 days 7 years 3 months 21 days
Long | Reverse mortgages    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 567 $ 655
Unamortized Premium (Discount) 31 33
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 598 688
Gross Unrealized Gains 0 0
Gross Unrealized Losses (38) (132)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 560 $ 556
Long | Reverse mortgages | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 4.44% 4.46%
Weighted Average Yield 2.77% 2.75%
Weighted average life 3 years 11 months 23 days 4 years 1 month 24 days
Long | Interest only securities    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost $ 13,985 $ 13,012
Gross Unrealized Gains 1,428 1,913
Gross Unrealized Losses (402) (191)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 15,011 $ 14,734
Long | Interest only securities | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 1.50% 1.21%
Weighted Average Yield 11.22% 12.00%
Weighted average life 4 years 5 months 15 days 6 years 6 months 25 days
Long | Non-Agency RMBS    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 288,054 $ 308,570
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (74,299) (80,178)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 213,755 228,392
Gross Unrealized Gains 22,509 24,999
Gross Unrealized Losses (7,467) (5,226)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 228,797 $ 248,165
Long | Non-Agency RMBS | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 5.03% 5.09%
Weighted Average Yield 8.74% 8.42%
Weighted average life 3 years 10 months 17 days 4 years 6 months 3 days
Long | CMBS    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 69,251 $ 66,252
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (25,806) (25,995)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 43,445 40,257
Gross Unrealized Gains 638 700
Gross Unrealized Losses (16,541) (15,800)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 27,542 $ 25,157
Long | CMBS | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 3.96% 3.74%
Weighted Average Yield 7.92% 9.91%
Weighted average life 3 years 5 months 15 days 4 years 1 month 17 days
Long | Non-Agency IOs    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost $ 263,794 $ 212,700
Gross Unrealized Gains 13,518 10,853
Gross Unrealized Losses (17,979) (16,773)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 259,333 $ 206,780
Long | Non-Agency IOs | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 0.80% 0.76%
Weighted Average Yield 15.01% 13.58%
Weighted average life 3 years 4 months 20 days 3 years 1 month 9 days
Long | CLOs    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost $ 130,753 $ 138,068
Gross Unrealized Gains 617 1,139
Gross Unrealized Losses (22,279) (14,167)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 109,091 $ 125,040
Long | CLOs | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 2.78% 3.22%
Weighted Average Yield 11.41% 11.10%
Weighted average life 7 years 3 months 25 days 7 years 29 days
Long | Other asset-backed securities    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost $ 112,440 $ 95,378
Gross Unrealized Gains 6,254 5,866
Gross Unrealized Losses (3,815) (3,471)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 114,879 $ 97,773
Long | Other asset-backed securities | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 3.18% 2.87%
Weighted Average Yield 12.14% 13.98%
Weighted average life 2 years 11 months 19 days 3 years 3 months 3 days
Long | Asset-backed securities, backed by consumer loans    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 159,813 $ 157,165
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (101,524) (97,017)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 58,289 60,148
Gross Unrealized Gains 390 382
Gross Unrealized Losses (4,999) (7,443)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 53,680 $ 53,087
Long | Asset-backed securities, backed by consumer loans | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 12.00% 12.00%
Weighted Average Yield 8.13% 9.83%
Weighted average life 1 year 8 months 1 day 1 year 7 months 20 days
Long | Corporate debt securities    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 69,153 $ 55,795
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (49,685) (40,981)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 19,468 14,814
Gross Unrealized Gains 3,714 3,826
Gross Unrealized Losses (3,177) (3,110)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 20,005 $ 15,530
Long | Corporate debt securities | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 0.08% 0.10%
Weighted Average Yield 0.00% 0.00%
Weighted average life 2 years 9 months 10 days 2 years 9 months 3 days
Long | Corporate equity securities    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost $ 10,556 $ 10,517
Gross Unrealized Gains 3,799 3,594
Gross Unrealized Losses (2,379) (2,120)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) 11,976 11,991
Long | U.S. Treasury securities    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal 100,058 32,600
Unamortized Premium (Discount) 41 (44)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 100,099 32,556
Gross Unrealized Gains 41 436
Gross Unrealized Losses (944) 0
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 99,196 $ 32,992
Long | U.S. Treasury securities | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 4.00% 4.14%
Weighted Average Yield 3.95% 3.97%
Weighted average life 7 years 1 month 28 days 5 years 14 days
Short    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ (299,898) $ (270,835)
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (378) (1,177)
Investment Sold, Not yet Purchased, Sale Proceeds (300,276) (272,012)
Gross Unrealized Gains 3,060 459
Gross Unrealized Losses (15) (1,149)
Securities sold short, at fair value $ (297,231) $ (272,702)
Short | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 3.92% 3.99%
Weighted Average Yield 3.86% 3.91%
Weighted average life 6 years 2 months 19 days 7 years 7 days
Short | U.S. Treasury securities    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ (299,898) $ (268,105)
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (378) (1,213)
Investment Sold, Not yet Purchased, Sale Proceeds (300,276) (269,318)
Gross Unrealized Gains 3,060 459
Gross Unrealized Losses (15) (1,119)
Securities sold short, at fair value $ (297,231) $ (269,978)
Short | U.S. Treasury securities | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 3.92% 4.03%
Weighted Average Yield 3.86% 3.93%
Weighted average life 6 years 2 months 19 days 7 years 1 month 2 days
Short | European sovereign bonds    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal   $ (2,730)
Unamortized Premium (Discount)   36
Investment Sold, Not yet Purchased, Sale Proceeds   (2,694)
Gross Unrealized Gains   0
Gross Unrealized Losses   (30)
Securities sold short, at fair value   $ (2,724)
Short | European sovereign bonds | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon   0.13%
Weighted Average Yield   1.28%
Weighted average life   29 days
[1] Ellington Financial Inc.'s Consolidated Balance Sheets include assets and liabilities of variable interest entities it has consolidated. See Note 12 for additional details on Ellington Financial Inc.'s consolidated variable interest entities.
[2] Includes assets pledged as collateral to counterparties. See Note 14 for additional details on the Company's borrowings and related collateral.