The mortgage industry just crossed a line it’s avoided for years

If you’re crypto-rich and cash-poor, you might still have a shot at securing a home loan without having to sell off your assets.

Starting next month, mortgage lender Newrez will let applicants count their cryptocurrency when applying for a home loan. Historically, a borrower’s crypto holdings wouldn’t be considered in the loan application process. For anyone holding a large amount of digital currency, liquidating some—and incurring that tax bill—might be necessary to qualify for a loan in instances where traditional investments or cash are scarce. 

“Today, 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,” Newrez President Baron Silverstein said in the announcement, adding that now is the “right time” to weave crypto into the mortgage lending business. The company plans to introduce the new option next month. 

Crypto isn’t Newrez’s only high tech experiment. Last week, the lender announced that it would invest an undisclosed amount in HomeVision, an AI-powered tool for the mortgage underwriting process. Newrez isn’t a top 10 mortgage company by loan volume, but it’s clearly angling to make a name for itself as a lender friendly to new technologies that other, bigger lenders might be slower to adopt.

Around 14% of adults in the U.S. own cryptocurrency, but the majority of Americans say they would never buy it, according to a recent Gallup poll. Noting that Gen Z and Millennial investors are more comfortable with crypto, Newrez Chief Commercial Officer Leslie Gillin described the change as opening “new pathways to homeownership” that offer home buyers increased financial flexibility.

Cryptocurrency settles in

Newrez is one of the first mortgage companies to open up to cryptocurrency, but it’s unlikely to be the last. In July, the Federal Housing Finance Agency directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—two pillars of the U.S. mortgage ecosystem—to draft proposals for considering crypto as an asset in mortgage applications. On X, the agency’s director William Pulte explained that the plan was part of “President Trump’s vision to make the United States the crypto capital of the world.”

Major U.S. banks and other financial institutions started warming up to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in 2025. Banks have long been skittish about the much-hyped digital assets due to regulatory uncertainty, their inherent volatility and a lingering association with cybercrime. 

But with Trump back in office, crypto is on the menu—both for banking stalwarts and speculative investors, who drove a post-election Bitcoin run that sent the king of coins to new heights. The president is also cashing in, raking in millions via token sales with World Liberty Financial, the Trump family’s flashy, ethically dubious crypto venture. 

In the current intensely crypto-friendly regulatory environment, major banks have begun tiptoeing into the realm of digital currencies. This year, Chase will let customers leverage credit card rewards points to buy cryptocurrency through Coinbase—a first for a major rewards program. Mastercard was reportedly shopping for a major crypto acquisition last year and went on to introduce new support for stablecoin wallets.