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Better, Coinbase launch token-backed mortgage product

Created at 26 Aug · 11:36 AM1 source↑ Market-relevant
IN SHORT

Better Mortgage and Coinbase have launched a token-backed, conforming mortgage product available to Coinbase One members. The product allows borrowers to pledge crypto assets as collateral while maintaining the first lien according to Fannie Mae guidelines, potentially opening new paths to homeownership.

Key Numbers

1%lender-funded closing cost credit
$10,000maximum closing cost credit
76%waitlist respondents who were Coinbase One users
60%waitlist respondents planning to buy a home within six months
$260 millionprojected loan volume from waitlist

Who's Involved

Better Mortgage
Lender offering token-backed conforming mortgage product
Coinbase
Partner providing crypto collateral for mortgages
Coinbase One
Membership program offering access to the mortgage product and credits
Fannie Mae
Guidelines followed for conforming mortgage product
Ziggy Jonsson
Chief Technology Officer at Better Mortgage
Ben Shen
Head of Financial Services and Loyalty Products at Coinbase
Better, Coinbase launch token-backed mortgage product

↳ Why This Matters

This product represents a significant step in integrating cryptocurrency into traditional financial services, potentially opening up homeownership to a new demographic of borrowers whose wealth is held on-chain and offering a novel way to leverage digital assets for major life purchases.

Key facts

  • Better Mortgage and Coinbase have launched a token-backed, conforming mortgage product.
  • The product allows borrowers to pledge crypto assets as collateral.
  • It is designed to meet Fannie Mae guidelines for conforming mortgages.
  • Coinbase One members who are approved for a loan can receive a 1% lender credit on closing costs, capped at $10,000.
  • This credit applies to Better's standard mortgages, HELOCs, and refinances for eligible Coinbase One members.

Better Mortgage and Coinbase have officially rolled out their token-backed, conforming mortgage product, making it broadly available to Coinbase One members. This innovative offering allows individuals to use their cryptocurrency assets as collateral for a mortgage without needing to sell their holdings. The product is structured to meet Fannie Mae guidelines, ensuring it functions as a standard conforming mortgage despite the integration of digital assets in the underwriting process.

Eligible Coinbase One members who secure a loan through Better will benefit from a lender-funded closing cost credit equivalent to 1% of the mortgage value, with a maximum cap of $10,000. This credit is applicable across Better's range of home financing options, including standard mortgages, home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), and refinances. The expanded offer commenced on August 12.

Initial testing of the concept through a waitlist in June 2026 indicated strong demand, with 76% of respondents already being Coinbase One users and 60% expressing plans to purchase a home within six months. This waitlist alone represented over $260 million in projected loan volume prior to the product's wider release.

Company representatives highlighted the initiative's goal to broaden access to homeownership. Ziggy Jonsson, CTO at Better Mortgage, noted that in an environment of high interest rates and rising home prices, this product offers a new avenue for borrowers whose wealth is increasingly held in digital assets. Ben Shen of Coinbase emphasized that the partnership leverages the trust members place in Coinbase for their financial lives, extending it to major decisions like home buying and making crypto more practically useful.

Frequently asked questions

It is a mortgage where borrowers can pledge cryptocurrency assets as collateral. The loan itself conforms to guidelines set by entities like Fannie Mae, making it a standard mortgage product despite the crypto collateral.

The product is available to Coinbase One members who are approved for a loan by Better Mortgage.

Eligible borrowers can receive a 1% lender-funded closing cost credit, up to a maximum of $10,000, and can use their crypto assets as collateral without selling them.

No, Better Mortgage originates and services the loans. Coinbase's role is to facilitate the use of crypto assets as collateral through its platform and membership program.

What Happens Next

01Monitor adoption rates among Coinbase One members.
02Observe potential regulatory responses to crypto-backed mortgages.
03Track expansion of similar products by other lenders or crypto platforms.

How It Developed

Better Mortgage and Coinbase launched a token-backed, conforming mortgage product.
The product allows eligible Coinbase One members to pledge crypto assets as collateral.
The mortgage product adheres to Fannie Mae guidelines.
Eligible Coinbase One members receive a 1% lender-funded closing cost credit, up to $10,000.
The credit applies to Better's mortgages, HELOCs, and refinances for Coinbase One members.
The partnership aims to expand homeownership access by utilizing on-chain wealth.

Sources

T1
Better, Coinbase announce broad rollout of token-backed conforming mortgage productHousingWire

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