Fannie Mae Launches Crypto-Backed Mortgage Program

Better Home & Finance and Coinbase partner with Fannie Mae on new mortgage products.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 8:09am

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An extreme close-up of heavy, polished banking machinery and mechanisms in shades of steel gray, bronze, and chrome, conceptually representing the secure infrastructure and institutional power of the financial system.The new crypto-backed mortgage program from Fannie Mae, Better Home & Finance, and Coinbase represents a significant step forward in integrating digital assets into traditional financial products.NYC Today

Mortgage provider Better Home & Finance and cryptocurrency platform Coinbase have announced a partnership with Fannie Mae to offer Fannie Mae-compliant mortgages backed by cryptocurrency from borrowers as collateral. This represents the first mortgage products backed by cryptocurrency to be accepted by Fannie Mae.

Why it matters

This partnership opens up new possibilities for the mortgage industry, as GSE-backed crypto lending may lead to the development of additional products for lenders and servicers in mortgage origination and refinancing.

The details

Under the new program, prospective homeowners will be able to pledge approved cryptocurrency assets like Bitcoin or USDC to fund a down payment on a home, without having to liquidate their crypto holdings. The structure allows buyers to take out a second loan on their down payment backed by their cryptocurrency, while also receiving a standard Fannie Mae-backed loan on the home itself. Better Home & Finance claims this Fannie Mae backing will provide significantly lower interest rates compared to existing crypto-backed mortgage products.

  • The partnership was announced on March 26, 2026.
  • In June 2025, FHFA Director Bill Pulte ordered Fannie Mae to prepare a proposal to consider prospective buyers' cryptocurrency assets in its risk assessments of single-family mortgage loans.

The players

Better Home & Finance

A mortgage provider that has partnered with Coinbase and Fannie Mae to offer crypto-backed mortgage products.

Coinbase

A leading cryptocurrency trading platform that has partnered with Better Home & Finance and Fannie Mae on the new mortgage program.

Fannie Mae

The government-sponsored enterprise that has agreed to back mortgage products involving cryptocurrency as collateral for the first time.

Bill Pulte

The Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) who ordered Fannie Mae to prepare a proposal to consider prospective buyers' cryptocurrency assets in its risk assessments.

Jordan Wenik

An attorney at Goodwin Procter LLP who commented on the significant implications of this partnership for the mortgage industry.

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What they’re saying

“This announcement raises significant implications for the mortgage industry as GSE-backed crypto lending may open up new products for lenders and servicers in origination and re-financing of residential mortgages.”

— Jordan Wenik, Attorney, Goodwin Procter LLP

What’s next

The new crypto-backed mortgage products from Better Home & Finance and Coinbase are expected to become available to prospective homebuyers later in 2026 after receiving final approval from Fannie Mae and the FHFA.

The takeaway

This partnership between mortgage, crypto, and government-sponsored entities represents a significant milestone in the integration of digital assets into traditional financial products. It could pave the way for more widespread adoption of cryptocurrency in real estate transactions and mortgage lending.