Newrez To Allow Crypto Assets In Mortgage Qualification Without Liquidation

Newrez plans to recognize cryptocurrency assets in the mortgage qualification process without requiring borrowers to liquidate their holdings, the company announced Tuesday. The option will be available in February across the lender’s nonagency Smart Series product suite.

While assets such as stocks and bonds are commonly considered in mortgage underwriting without liquidation, many lenders still require applicants to sell crypto holdings, limiting their financial flexibility, according to Newrez. Under the new policy, eligible crypto assets may be used for income estimation and asset verification.

“The global crypto market has surged past $3 trillion, and an estimated 45% of Gen Z and Millennial investors — many of whom are future homebuyers — own crypto,” Leslie Gillin, Newrez’s chief commercial officer, said in a statement.

“An increasing number of consumers include crypto in their investment portfolios, while major financial institutions are deepening their involvement in crypto assets, supported by key regulatory developments,” added Baron Silverstein, president of Newrez. 

On the regulatory front, Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte said in June that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will begin preparing for the use of crypto in single-family mortgages.

Proponents argue that assets such as Bitcoin or Ethereum could be used as collateral to obtain fiat-currency loans for real estate purchases, potentially expanding access to credit for borrowers who may not qualify under traditional underwriting standards due to income or credit constraints.

Skeptics, however, point to the volatility of crypto markets, which can trigger margin calls and force borrowers to post additional collateral if asset values fall. Broader adoption has also been limited by an evolving regulatory framework.

“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 said. 

Newrez recently invested in mortgage technology firm HomeVision and is partnering with the company to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered underwriting platform. Newrez claims to be the first top-25 mortgage lender in the U.S. to accept crypto assets in the mortgage process without liquidation requirements.

From January through September 2025, the company ranked as the fourth-largest lender in the U.S., according to Inside Mortgage Finance. It originated $44.5 billion in volume during these nine months, up nearly 8% year over year.

Other lenders operating in the crypto mortgage space include Miami-based Milo; Toronto-based lending platform Ledn; Figure, led by former SoFi CEO Mike Cagney; and Moon Mortgage.