Bitcoin2026-09-07 01:34:15Better’s Bitcoin mortgage opens with $360 million in applications, but pledged BTC may be rehypothecated and locked for yearsBetter’s bitcoin-backed mortgage product, launched with Coinbase, has opened for applications and has already generated $360 million in pre-application volume, according to data Better shared with CoinDesk. The structure combines a standard Fannie Mae-compliant mortgage with a separate bitcoin-backed loan used for the down payment, requiring 250% collateralization in BTC. Recent disclosures highlight terms that could matter significantly for borrowers. Better says it may rehypothecate pledged bitcoin, meaning the collateral can be reused in other transactions as long as the company maintains equivalent BTC for return after repayment. That leaves borrowers relying on a promise to receive the same amount of bitcoin back, not necessarily the exact coins originally pledged. The collateral also cannot be released simply by repaying the bitcoin-backed portion of the loan. Better says the BTC remains locked until the primary mortgage is fully paid off or refinanced, which could mean 15 to 30 years. Coinbase’s role is limited to custody and technical support, while underwriting and liquidation decisions remain with Better. The product does not ease income, credit score, or debt-to-income requirements under Fannie Mae standards.810
Bitcoin2026-08-26 20:20:44Better and Coinbase roll out bitcoin-backed loansBetter has launched a bitcoin-backed loan product in partnership with Coinbase, according to ChainCatcher. The offering allows borrowers to use BTC as collateral to access funds without selling their holdings. That gives users a way to unlock liquidity while keeping exposure to bitcoin. ChainCatcher said the structure also helps borrowers avoid capital gains tax that could arise from selling the asset. No additional details on loan terms, supported regions, or product limits were disclosed in the brief.840
Coinbase2026-08-26 15:02:56Coinbase and Better roll out crypto-backed home mortgage product for Coinbase One membersCoinbase has partnered with digital mortgage lender Better to launch a compliant home mortgage product backed by crypto assets, with applications now open to Coinbase One members. Better said that among customers it has already pre-approved, about 41% meet traditional mortgage standards for income and credit but do not have enough cash for a down payment. The new offering is designed to give crypto holders another financing option when buying a home, while reducing the need to sell tokens to raise down payment funds. The announcement ties a crypto-based asset base to a regulated mortgage product and targets a specific gap identified by Better in its borrower pool. For Coinbase One members, the initial access window means the product is currently limited to that membership group.840
Better2026-08-26 14:11:49Better and Coinbase launch crypto-backed mortgage serviceDigital mortgage lender Better has partnered with cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase to roll out a crypto-backed mortgage service, according to Techub News, which cited @Cointelegraph. The offering allows borrowers to use digital assets such as Bitcoin as collateral when applying for a home loan, letting them seek mortgage financing without selling their crypto holdings. The partnership is aimed at giving crypto holders another way to put their assets to work while entering the traditional real estate market. Specific loan terms have not yet been released. Better and Coinbase said details including which cryptocurrencies will be accepted and the loan-to-value ratio will be announced later. The report did not provide a launch timeline or additional product parameters.750
Bitcoin mortg2026-08-04 09:02:48Better and Coinbase test crypto-backed mortgages as 250% BTC collateral rule draws scrutinyBetter Home & Finance and Coinbase have rolled out a mortgage structure that lets borrowers pledge Bitcoin or USDC to help fund a home purchase, setting up an early test of whether digital assets can plug into the U.S. banking and housing-finance system. The product combines a conforming first-lien mortgage that meets Fannie Mae standards with a separate private loan for the down payment, backed by crypto and secured by a second lien on the property. Better said the waitlist ahead of the summer launch represented roughly $250 million in potential loan volume, and 41% of applicants lacked enough cash for a down payment. The structure has already triggered political pushback. On April 30, seven U.S. senators wrote to Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte, naming Better and Coinbase and urging the agency to revoke any approval tied to the program. Their objections centered on the product’s 250% Bitcoin collateral requirement, the cost of carrying two loans at once, and the risk that losses could ultimately be borne by taxpayers. The debate reaches past one mortgage product: it touches banking appetite for crypto-linked loans, the legal uncertainty around tokenized assets used as collateral, and Better’s own effort to lower funding costs through stablecoin-based financing.1880
Policy & Regu2026-08-04 08:26:07Crypto as Mortgage Collateral: Better and Coinbase Face a Three-Way Test of Regulation, Cost and Tokenized RightsBetter Home & Finance and Coinbase have introduced a mortgage structure that lets borrowers pledge Bitcoin or USDC to help cover a home down payment, an attempt to solve a long-standing liquidity problem for asset-rich buyers who do not want to sell holdings, trigger taxes and then wait to see whether a bid is accepted. The product, launched in March and first used by a couple in Ann Arbor, Michigan in early June, combines a conforming first-lien mortgage with a separate privately financed down-payment loan secured by crypto and a second lien on the home. Better said the waitlist represented about $250 million in potential loans before the summer launch, and 41% of applicants did not have enough cash for a down payment. The structure has quickly become a political flashpoint. Seven U.S. senators urged Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte to revoke the approval tied to the arrangement, arguing that the 250% collateral requirement for Bitcoin shows the underlying asset is risky and that carrying interest on two loans could leave borrowers paying as much as 1.5 percentage points above a standard Fannie Mae mortgage rate. The debate is broader than mortgage design alone. It also reaches into the legal ambiguity of tokenized assets, where ownership rights can differ sharply from one product to another, and into Better’s own effort to cut funding costs through stablecoin and tokenized finance partnerships.1990
Coinbase2026-07-24 00:35:15Coinbase and Better Launch Crypto Mortgage That Lets Buyers Pledge Bitcoin for Down PaymentsCoinbase and Better have introduced a crypto mortgage structure for eligible U.S. homebuyers, allowing Bitcoin or USDC on Coinbase to be pledged for a separate down payment loan instead of being sold at closing.490
Coinbase2026-07-23 21:20:15Coinbase and Better Prepare Crypto-Backed Mortgage Product Linked to Fannie Mae LoansA Wall Street Journal report says Better and Coinbase are preparing a mortgage product that would let some buyers pledge crypto holdings instead of selling them before closing.500
