Written by Turner Wrightstaff writerReviewed by Robert Lakinstaff editor

Written by Turner Wrightstaff writer

Reviewed by Robert Lakinstaff editor

Coinbase to launch token-backed mortgage down payments this summer

Latest NewsPublishedJun 4, 2026

A Coinbase-Better Home & Finance initiative will allow qualified borrowers to utilize Bitcoin and USDC as collateral for home loan down payments.

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase will allow qualified borrowers to pledge digital assets to fund Fannie Mae-backed mortgage apartments beginning this summer.

In a Thursday notice, Coinbase and its partner, Better Home & Finance, stated the mortgage structure plan launching “by summer 2026” will allow borrowers to initially utilize Bitcoin (BTC) or USDC (USDC) as collateral for loans to fund down payments for homes. The initiative, first revealed in March, represented a notable shift in companies allowing digital assets to be used for financing houses. 

Source: Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels

“We’re excited to expand access to all qualified borrowers to fix an ongoing issue: buyers who qualify on every measure that matters but cannot clear the down payment hurdle because their wealth isn’t where the system anticipates to find it,” stated Better founder and CEO Vishal Garg.

Garg stated in a March post on X:

“This isn’t a niche thing. It’s what everyone is going to do once most financial assets are tokenized. It’s just a better way to buy a house.”

The move by Coinbase and Better followed US regulatory agencies under the Trump administration being friendlier to crypto companies and more accepting of digital assets integrated with traditional finance. In June 2025, the US Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to consider crypto as an asset in mortgage risk assessments without requiring a conversion into fiat.

Related: Crypto mortgages in US face valuation risks, regulatory uncertainty

Other mortgage lenders have made similar moves since the FHFA order. In February, Newrez began allowing borrowers to utilize their cryptocurrency holdings to qualify for a mortgage application.

Source: Bill Pulte

Volatile crypto-backed mortgages scrutinized for political motivations

Although the price volatility of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin may present challenges to the mortgage plan, some US lawmakers have accused FHFA head Bill Pulte of being “unduly influenced” by President Donald Trump in supporting such policies.

“Expanding underwriting criteria to include the consideration of unconverted cryptocurrency assets could pose risks to the stability of the housing market and the financial system,” stated five US senators in a July 2025 letter to Pulte following the FHFA order.

Republican lawmakers, including crypto proponent Cynthia Lummis, have proposed codifying the FHFA order into law. She introduced the 21st Century Mortgage Act in July 2025, saying government agencies “must evolve to meet the needs of a modern, forward-thinking generation.”

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