US Housing Lender Will Accept Bitcoin and Ethereum for Mortgage Qualification

Newrez, a leading mortgage lender and servicer, announced plans to begin recognizing cryptocurrency assets for mortgage qualification in February 2026.

This marks a significant integration of digital finance into the traditional housing market.

Newrez Targets Gen Z with Crypto-Inclusive Mortgage Products

The initiative will allow borrowers to use holdings in Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD-pegged stablecoins, and spot crypto exchange-traded funds to verify assets. Those holdings may also be used to estimate income for mortgage loan applications.

The program is exclusive to Newrez’s Smart Series product suite. The line offers non-qualified mortgage loans for borrowers who fall outside standard government-backed lending guidelines.

Newrez President Baron Silverstein said the move reflects a necessary evolution in modern lending as the crypto industry becomes increasingly integrated with traditional finance.

The lender cited internal data showing that about 45% of Gen Z and Millennial investors own cryptocurrency. It described the group as a core demographic of first-time homebuyers.

Notably, lenders historically required these borrowers to liquidate their digital holdings to prove reserves, triggering taxable events and forcing them out of the market.

“We believe that now is the right time to prudently integrate eligible crypto assets into modern mortgage lending—enabling consumers to preserve investments while accessing innovative financing solutions,” Silverstein explained.

Newrez Sidesteps DeFi, Mandates Regulated Exchange Holdings

Under the new policy, borrowers can qualify without selling their assets. However, the lenders will apply market-adjusted valuations to account for crypto price volatility.

“Our mission at Newrez is to do everything possible to make home happen and this innovation marks yet another step in creating new pathways to homeownership, giving consumers flexibility and control,” Leslie Gillin, Newrez Chief Commercial Officer, said.

Moreover, the program also imposes strict guardrails for these new borrowers. Newrez confirmed that borrowers can use crypto for underwriting ratios but must still pay down payments and closing costs in US dollars.

Additionally, all eligible assets must be held by US-regulated entities, such as compliant exchanges, retail FinTech apps, or SEC- or FINRA-regulated brokerages.

This requirement effectively excludes assets held in self-custody wallets or decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols.

Meanwhile, the announcement follows a broader regulatory shift in Washington.

In June 2025, the Federal Housing Finance Agency issued a directive to consider cryptocurrency in mortgage risk modeling. The agency asked Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to develop proposals for incorporating digital assets into single-family loan risk assessments.

That directive is part of the Trump administration’s wider overhaul of US financial policy. It signaled a thawing of relations between federal housing regulators and the crypto industry.