Fannie Mae Said to Accept Crypto Assets as Home Loan Collateral
According to Coinbase, Better’s mortgage structure uses Bitcoin or USDC as collateral for a separate loan tied to a conforming mortgage, with fixed rates, a single payment, and no margin calls.
The claim is supported by multiple reports from 2025 and 2026 (within the current context's timeline) detailing an FHFA directive for Fannie Mae to accept crypto assets. Specifically, the partnership between Better Home & Finance and Coinbase to launch a crypto-collateralized mortgage product aligns with the regulatory shift described in Reuters and HousingWire reports.
Coinbase said on June 26 that Better introduced a mortgage service backed by Bitcoin or USDC that requires 250% collateral and combines a crypto-backed loan with a standard mortgage into one monthly payment. According to Coinbase, the structure uses a fixed-rate design and does not include margin calls. The announcement also says the mortgage is backed by Fannie Mae. The update adds a new official statement from Coinbase but does not materially change the previously reported core structure of the product, which pairs crypto collateral with a conventional home loan for eligible borrowers.
- Bitcoin: A cryptocurrency that operates on a blockchain and can be used as a digital store of value or pledged as collateral in some financial products.
- USDC: A U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin designed to maintain a 1:1 value with the dollar, often used for crypto trading, payments, and collateral.
- Collateral: An asset pledged to secure a loan; if repayment conditions are not met, the lender may seize or liquidate it under the loan terms.