v3.26.1
Investment in Loans - Reverse Mortgage Loans Summary (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Mar. 31, 2025
Dec. 31, 2025
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]      
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 16,647,345   $ 16,000,731
Loans, at fair value(1)(2) [1],[2] $ 17,393,161   $ 16,640,647
Weighted Average      
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]      
Investment Interest Rate 5.05%   5.21%
Weighted average life 5 years 18 days   5 years 3 months 10 days
Reverse mortgage loans      
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]      
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 12,128,018   $ 11,586,369
Loans, at fair value(1)(2) 12,990,186   12,331,316
Reverse mortgage loans | Reverse mortgage loans, held for investment      
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]      
Unpaid Principal Balance     11,586,369
Loans, at fair value(1)(2)     12,331,316
Reverse mortgage loans | HECM loans      
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]      
Unpaid Principal Balance 10,345,883   10,081,026
Loans, at fair value(1)(2) 11,056,873   10,690,598
Reverse mortgage loans | Proprietary reverse mortgage loans      
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]      
Unpaid Principal Balance 1,782,135   1,505,343
Loans, at fair value(1)(2) $ 1,933,313   $ 1,640,718
Reverse mortgage loans | Weighted Average      
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]      
Investment Interest Rate 6.32%    
Weighted average life 6 years 10 months 6 days    
Reverse mortgage loans | Weighted Average | Reverse mortgage loans, held for investment      
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]      
Investment Interest Rate     6.36%
Weighted average life     6 years 3 months 3 days
Reverse mortgage loans | Weighted Average | HECM loans      
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]      
Investment Interest Rate 5.78%   5.89%
Weighted average life 4 years 8 months 19 days   4 years 9 months 7 days
Reverse mortgage loans | Weighted Average | Proprietary reverse mortgage loans      
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]      
Investment Interest Rate 9.47%   9.56%
Weighted average life 19 years 10 days   15 years 11 months 26 days
Proprietary reverse mortgage loans      
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]      
Transfer to held-for-investment from held-for-sale - Loan UPB   $ 97,400  
[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.