Better Mortgage and Coinbase have made their bitcoin-backed mortgage products generally available, allowing U.S. homebuyers to pledge bitcoins as collateral for down payments without having to sell them, the companies announced Wednesday.
According to Coinbase’s help center, the product combines a Fannie Mae-backed home loan with a separate down payment loan secured by Bitcoin (BTC). Borrowers must pledge BTC worth at least 250% of the down payment loan, with the pledged BTC transferred to Better’s custodial account on Coinbase Prime.
The two loans carry the same interest rate and repayment term and are repaid in a single monthly payment, Coinbase said. Pledged BTC is returned when the mortgage is paid off in full or refinanced subject to the terms of the loan.
A fall in the price of Bitcoin alone does not change margin calls or mortgage terms. However, according to Coinbase, Beta can cancel pledged BTC if a borrower is delinquent in payments for 60 days.
Borrowers must be US residents with a verified Coinbase account and subject to Better’s credit, income and other underwriting requirements. Coinbase One members are also eligible for a 1% rebate from Better, subject to a $10,000 cap, which can be used toward closing costs and fees.
Better and Coinbase first announced the token-backed mortgage in March, initially opening it up through an early-access program.
Related: 77% of Americans See Crypto as Risky in Retirement Planning: Survey
Crypto has gained ground in the US mortgage market
The Better-Coinbase product comes amid broader efforts to incorporate digital assets into US mortgage underwriting.
In June 2025, the Federal Housing Finance Agency directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to develop proposals to consider cryptocurrencies held on US-regulated centralized exchanges as an asset in assessing single-family mortgage risk without requiring conversion to US dollars.
FHFA guidance directs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to consider cryptocurrencies in mortgage risk assessments. Source: William Poult
The directive required the two government-sponsored enterprises to consider risk-mitigation measures for crypto volatility and submit proposed changes to their boards for approval before FHFA review.
Other U.S. lenders are also starting to move in that direction. Mortgage lender and servicer NewRage announced in January that it would recognize certain cryptocurrency holdings when evaluating mortgage applications starting in February, including home purchases and refinances.
The expansion of bitcoin-backed home financing comes as US housing prices near historic highs. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the median sales price of a new U.S. home in 2026 was about $400,000.
US median new home prices have declined since 2022, but remain historically high. Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
magazine: Hug Face Hack Reveals Open-Weight AI Cybersecurity Paradox
