Investment in Loans (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2025 USD ($) loan	Jun. 30, 2024 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2025 USD ($) loan	Jun. 30, 2024 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2024 USD ($) loan
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 14,162,891		$ 14,162,891		$ 13,657,446
Loans, at fair value(1)(2)	[1],[2]	14,668,365		14,668,365		13,999,572
Unpaid principal balance on unactive loans		421,400		421,400		388,200
Accrued expenses and other liabilities(1)	[1]	43,131		43,131		38,566
Government Guaranteed Mortgage Loans upon Foreclosure Receivable
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid principal balance on unactive loans		451,200		451,200		373,800
Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Mortgage Loans in Process of Foreclosure, Amount		134,300		134,300		121,500
Unpaid Principal Balance		3,221,956		3,221,956		3,689,355
Loans, at fair value(1)(2)		3,107,555		3,107,555		3,539,534
Consumer loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		338		338		556
Loans, at fair value(1)(2)		271		271		477
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss				200	$ 300	300
Losses		(240)		(240)		(237)
Commercial mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss		200		200		11,800
Mortgage Loans in Process of Foreclosure, Amount						11,300
Unpaid Principal Balance		436,044		436,044		370,658
Loans, at fair value(1)(2)		435,222		435,222		$ 350,515
Number of mortgage loans in process of foreclosure						1
Mortgage Loans In Process Of Foreclosure, Unpaid Principal Balance						$ 15,500
Losses		(181)		(181)		(11,802)
Corporate loan [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		19,838		19,838		11,767
Loans, at fair value(1)(2)		19,709		19,709		11,767
Losses		0		0		0
Proprietary reverse mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Transfer to held-for-investment from held-for-sale - Loan UPB		103,400	$ 87,700	200,700	298,200
Non-performing | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		256,376		256,376		229,140
Loans, at fair value(1)(2)		$ 239,542		$ 239,542		$ 215,736
Non-performing | Commercial mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Number of loans | loan		5		5		4
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 54,700		$ 54,700		$ 56,500
Loans, at fair value(1)(2)						37,600
Performing Financial Instruments [Member] | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		22,050		22,050		24,640
Loans, at fair value(1)(2)		21,068		21,068		22,845
Loans held-for-investment [Member] | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		3,221,956		3,221,956		3,689,355
Loans, at fair value(1)(2)		3,107,555		3,107,555		3,539,534
Losses		$ (167,805)		(167,805)		$ (211,644)
Loans held-for-investment [Member] | Consumer loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Realized Losses, Write offs on loans				$ (23)	$ (100)

[1] Ellington Financial Inc.'s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets include assets and liabilities of variable interest entities it has consolidated. See Note 12 for additional details on Ellington Financial Inc.'s consolidated variable interest entities.

[2] Includes assets pledged as collateral to counterparties. See Note 14 for additional details on the Company's borrowings and related collateral.