v3.26.1
Investment in Securities (Summary of Investment in Securities) (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
6 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2026
Dec. 31, 2025
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 705,100 $ 565,244
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (264,552) (245,735)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 1,015,396 789,184
Gross Unrealized Gains 60,349 56,778
Gross Unrealized Losses (97,120) (83,782)
Investment Owned At Fair Value, Net 978,625 762,180
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) [1],[2] 1,230,743 1,034,882
Securities sold short, at fair value $ (252,118) $ (272,702)
Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 5.11% 5.21%
Weighted Average Yield 8.60% 8.27%
Weighted average life 5 years 5 years 3 months 10 days
Long    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 962,248 $ 836,079
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (264,633) (244,558)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 1,272,463 1,061,196
Gross Unrealized Gains 55,341 56,319
Gross Unrealized Losses (97,061) (82,633)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 1,230,743 $ 1,034,882
Long | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 5.44% 5.61%
Weighted Average Yield 9.60% 9.42%
Weighted average life 4 years 9 months 25 days 4 years 9 months 21 days
Long | 15-year fixed-rate mortgages    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 4,474 $ 5,271
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (11) (20)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 4,463 5,251
Gross Unrealized Gains 0 47
Gross Unrealized Losses (116) (94)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 4,347 $ 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 3.69% 3.77%
Weighted average life 2 years 4 months 2 days 2 years 6 months
Long | 30-year fixed-rate mortgages    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 198,342 $ 209,771
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (325) (356)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 198,017 209,415
Gross Unrealized Gains 1,649 2,564
Gross Unrealized Losses (14,826) (14,106)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 184,840 $ 197,873
Long | 30-year fixed-rate mortgages | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 3.91% 3.93%
Weighted Average Yield 3.76% 3.84%
Weighted average life 7 years 2 months 19 days 7 years 3 months 21 days
Long | Reverse mortgages    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 571 $ 655
Unamortized Premium (Discount) 31 33
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 602 688
Gross Unrealized Gains 0 0
Gross Unrealized Losses (42) (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 2.79% 2.75%
Weighted average life 3 years 10 months 28 days 4 years 1 month 24 days
Long | Interest only securities    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost $ 331,405 $ 212,700
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) 324,512 206,780
Long | Interest only securities | Agency Securities    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 19,680 13,012
Gross Unrealized Gains 1,541 1,913
Gross Unrealized Losses (428) (191)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 20,793 $ 14,734
Long | Interest only securities | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 0.77% 0.76%
Long | Interest only securities | Weighted Average | Agency Securities    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 2.00% 1.21%
Weighted Average Yield 12.02% 12.00%
Weighted average life 4 years 4 months 24 days 6 years 6 months 25 days
Long | Non-Agency RMBS    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 312,275 $ 308,570
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (81,014) (80,178)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 231,261 228,392
Gross Unrealized Gains 22,316 24,999
Gross Unrealized Losses (7,743) (5,226)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 245,834 $ 248,165
Long | Non-Agency RMBS | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 5.29% 5.09%
Weighted Average Yield 7.60% 8.42%
Weighted average life 4 years 3 months 25 days 4 years 6 months 3 days
Long | CMBS    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 65,202 $ 66,252
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (25,748) (25,995)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 39,454 40,257
Gross Unrealized Gains 325 700
Gross Unrealized Losses (18,322) (15,800)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 21,457 $ 25,157
Long | CMBS | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 4.18% 3.74%
Weighted Average Yield 6.52% 9.91%
Weighted average life 3 years 4 months 9 days 4 years 1 month 17 days
Long | Non-Agency IOs    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost $ 311,725 $ 212,700
Gross Unrealized Gains 13,694 10,853
Gross Unrealized Losses (21,700) (16,773)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 303,719 $ 206,780
Long | Non-Agency IOs | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 0.74% 0.76%
Weighted Average Yield 16.90% 13.58%
Weighted average life 3 years 4 months 17 days 3 years 1 month 9 days
Long | CLOs    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost $ 119,492 $ 138,068
Gross Unrealized Gains 1,120 1,139
Gross Unrealized Losses (19,558) (14,167)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 101,054 $ 125,040
Long | CLOs | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 2.53% 3.22%
Weighted Average Yield 10.66% 11.10%
Weighted average life 7 years 3 months 10 days 7 years 29 days
Long | Other asset-backed securities    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost $ 113,824 $ 95,378
Gross Unrealized Gains 5,764 5,866
Gross Unrealized Losses (2,672) (3,471)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 116,916 $ 97,773
Long | Other asset-backed securities | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 3.35% 2.87%
Weighted Average Yield 10.52% 13.98%
Weighted average life 2 years 7 months 6 days 3 years 3 months 3 days
Long | Asset-backed securities, backed by consumer loans    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 161,772 $ 157,165
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (103,722) (97,017)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 58,050 60,148
Gross Unrealized Gains 397 382
Gross Unrealized Losses (5,288) (7,443)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 53,159 $ 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 9.37% 9.83%
Weighted average life 1 year 7 months 24 days 1 year 7 months 20 days
Long | Corporate debt securities    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ 80,265 $ 55,795
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (53,458) (40,981)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 26,807 14,814
Gross Unrealized Gains 4,596 3,826
Gross Unrealized Losses (1,984) (3,110)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 29,419 $ 15,530
Long | Corporate debt securities | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 0.07% 0.10%
Weighted Average Yield 0.00% 0.00%
Weighted average life 2 years 10 months 9 days 2 years 9 months 3 days
Long | Corporate equity securities    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost $ 10,127 $ 10,517
Gross Unrealized Gains 3,620 3,594
Gross Unrealized Losses (2,625) (2,120)
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) 11,122 11,991
Long | U.S. Treasury securities    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal 139,347 32,600
Unamortized Premium (Discount) (386) (44)
Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Amortized Cost 138,961 32,556
Gross Unrealized Gains 319 436
Gross Unrealized Losses (1,757) 0
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) $ 137,523 $ 32,992
Long | U.S. Treasury securities | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 4.11% 4.14%
Weighted Average Yield 4.11% 3.97%
Weighted average life 7 years 9 months 3 days 5 years 14 days
Short    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ (257,148) $ (270,835)
Unamortized Premium (Discount) 81 (1,177)
Investment Sold, Not yet Purchased, Sale Proceeds (257,067) (272,012)
Gross Unrealized Gains 5,008 459
Gross Unrealized Losses (59) (1,149)
Securities sold short, at fair value $ (252,118) $ (272,702)
Short | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 3.86% 3.99%
Weighted Average Yield 3.86% 3.91%
Weighted average life 5 years 10 months 20 days 7 years 7 days
Short | U.S. Treasury securities    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Current Principal $ (257,148) $ (268,105)
Unamortized Premium (Discount) 81 (1,213)
Investment Sold, Not yet Purchased, Sale Proceeds (257,067) (269,318)
Gross Unrealized Gains 5,008 459
Gross Unrealized Losses (59) (1,119)
Securities sold short, at fair value $ (252,118) $ (269,978)
Short | U.S. Treasury securities | Weighted Average    
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Coupon 3.86% 4.03%
Weighted Average Yield 3.86% 3.93%
Weighted average life 5 years 10 months 20 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.