Better Mortgage and Coinbase have made their Bitcoin-backed mortgage product generally available to US homebuyers, allowing borrowers to pledge Bitcoin as collateral for down payments without selling the asset.
The product pairs a Fannie Mae-backed home loan with a separate down payment loan secured by Bitcoin. Pledged Bitcoin is transferred to Better’s custodial account on Coinbase Prime. Both loans carry the same interest rate and amortization term and are repaid through a single monthly payment.
Borrowers must pledge Bitcoin equal to 250% of the down payment loan amount. Pledged Bitcoin is returned once the mortgage is fully repaid or refinanced. Bitcoin price declines alone do not trigger margin calls or mortgage term changes. Better can liquidate pledged Bitcoin if a borrower becomes 60 days delinquent on payments.
Coinbase One members receive a 1% rebate toward closing costs, capped at $10,000. Borrowers must be US residents with verified Coinbase accounts and meet Better’s credit, income, and underwriting requirements.
Regulatory Path
The launch follows regulatory movement toward cryptocurrency integration in mortgage markets. In June 2025, the Federal Housing Finance Agency directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to develop proposals considering cryptocurrency held on US-regulated centralized exchanges as an asset in mortgage risk assessments without requiring conversion to US dollars.
In January 2026, Newrez, a mortgage lender and servicer, announced it would recognize certain cryptocurrency holdings in mortgage applications beginning in February.
Better and Coinbase first announced the token-backed mortgage in March 2026, when they opened an early-access program. The product is now available to all eligible borrowers.
US median new home prices stood at $400,000 in 2026, having fallen since 2022 but remaining historically elevated.
