Investment in Loans (Schedule of Residential Mortgage Loans) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance			$ 2,366,724	$ 1,417,054
Unamortized Premium (Discount)			(143,262)	(196,118)
Fair Value	[1],[2]		$ 2,415,321	$ 1,453,480
Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon			3.52%	3.92%
Weighted Average Yield		4.77%	3.24%
Weighted average life		4 years 5 months 26 days	5 years 11 months 8 days
Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance			$ 1,969,874	$ 1,150,303
Unamortized Premium (Discount)			44,039
Amortized Cost			2,013,913
Gains			15,499
Losses			(13,184)
Fair Value			2,016,228	1,187,069
Residential mortgage loans | Non-performing
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance			33,949	62,009
Fair Value			$ 30,806	58,169
Residential mortgage loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon			5.63%
Weighted Average Yield			4.68%
Weighted average life			2 years 18 days
Consolidated securitization trusts [Member] | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Gains			$ 11,500	24,800
Losses			3,700	100
Loans held-for-investment [Member] | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance			1,958,807	1,150,303
Unamortized Premium (Discount)			45,462	14,263
Amortized Cost			2,004,269	1,164,566
Gains			13,792	27,892
Losses			(13,173)	(5,389)
Fair Value			$ 2,004,888	$ 1,187,069
Loans held-for-investment [Member] | Residential mortgage loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon			5.63%	6.19%
Weighted Average Yield		5.60%	4.67%
Weighted average life		1 year 10 months 24 days	2 years 21 days
Loans held-for-sale | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance			$ 11,067
Unamortized Premium (Discount)			(1,423)
Amortized Cost			9,644
Gains			1,707
Losses			(11)
Fair Value			$ 11,340
Loans held-for-sale | Residential mortgage loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon			4.58%
Weighted Average Yield			5.94%
Weighted average life			29 days
Non-QM loan securitization | Residential mortgage loans | Consolidated Entities [Member] | Securitized loans [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Fair Value			$ 1,041,545	$ 801,343

[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.