The collaboration allows borrowers to use tokenized assets for down payments starting summer 2025 under new FHFA guidelines.
Coinbase and mortgage lender Better will launch a program this summer enabling borrowers to use cryptocurrency holdings for mortgage down payments. The initiative follows a June 2025 directive from the Federal Housing Finance Agency allowing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to consider crypto assets in mortgage risk assessments without converting them to fiat currency.
The move expands underwriting criteria to include digital assets, addressing liquidity challenges for borrowers with wealth tied to crypto. Other lenders, including Newrez, have introduced similar programs since the FHFA order, though regulatory uncertainty and valuation risks remain concerns. Critics argue the policy shift may expose the housing market to crypto volatility.
The program targets qualified borrowers who meet income and credit requirements but lack traditional liquid assets for down payments. Better CEO Vishal Garg described the shift as an inevitable evolution in home financing as financial assets become increasingly tokenized.