Investment in Loans (Schedule of Consumer Loans) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 1,417,054	$ 1,387,733
Unamortized Premium (Discount)		(196,118)	(150,821)
Investments, at fair value, Cost				$ 2,970,306
Loans, at fair value	[1],[2]	$ 1,453,480	$ 1,412,426
Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted average life		4 years 5 months 26 days	5 years 10 months 24 days
Consumer loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Fair value of charged-off loans		$ 600	$ 600
Unpaid Principal Balance		48,180	179,743
Unamortized Premium (Discount)		72	5,027
Investments, at fair value, Cost		48,252	184,770
Gains		1,160	2,561
Losses		(1,887)	(377)
Loans, at fair value		$ 47,525	$ 186,954
Consumer loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted average life		1 year 14 days	9 months 25 days
Delinquency (Days)		7 days	4 days

[1] Ellington Financial Inc.'s Consolidated Balance Sheet includes assets and liabilities of variable interest entities it has consolidated. See Note 9 for additional details on Ellington Financial Inc.'s consolidated variable interest entities.

[2] Includes assets pledged as collateral to counterparties. See Note 11 for additional details on the Company's borrowings and related collateral.