TL;DR
- Coinbase and Better Mortgage expanded their Bitcoin-backed mortgage product to all U.S. borrowers.
- The pledged BTC must be worth at least 250% of the down payment loan amount, with no margin calls for normal market movements.
- Eligible Coinbase One members receive a 1% lender credit on the mortgage amount, capped at $10,000.
Coinbase and Better Mortgage have made their Bitcoin-backed mortgage financing product available to all borrowers in the United States. This turns a pilot offering initially launched in March into a nationwide product, establishing new access conditions for the platform’s customers.
How the Bitcoin Mortgage Works
The structure combines a standard conforming mortgage with a separate loan secured by pledged Bitcoin. Better originates and services both loans, while the exchange custodies the crypto collateral in an account held in the borrower’s name. The borrower does not put up the full down payment in cash, but rather backs it with BTC.
Crypto-backed mortgages have moved in.
Borrowers in the US can now use Bitcoin as collateral for a down payment – without having to sell it or face margin calls.
Plus, Coinbase One members can get up to $10,000 back at closing. pic.twitter.com/wMroUwVahX
— Coinbase 🛡️ (@coinbase) August 26, 2026
As an example, someone purchasing a $500,000 home could pledge $250,000 in Bitcoin to support a $100,000 down payment, though the exact amount depends on the lender’s underwriting criteria.
Better stipulates that the pledged Bitcoin must equal at least 250% of the down payment loan amount. A key design feature is that the contract does not trigger margin calls for normal market movements, which reduces immediate pressure on the borrower during ordinary price fluctuations of the asset.
Coinbase One Offers 1% Credits
Eligible members of the Coinbase One program can access a lender-funded credit equal to 1% of the mortgage amount, with a cap of $10,000. The incentive is designed to retain assets: Bitcoin holders can access liquidity to finance a property without needing to sell their holdings immediately.
Crypto-backed mortgages are not a new concept. Ledn, a Canadian lending company, announced a similar product in December 2021, and Miami-based fintech Milo introduced what it described as the first crypto mortgage in the U.S. in January 2022. Coinbase’s entry into this market, however, represents a significant leap in terms of scale and visibility that is difficult to overlook in the mortgage financing landscape.
