Newrez, a prominent mortgage lender, has announced a significant policy shift by deciding to take certain cryptocurrency holdings into account when making lending decisions. This move is expected to expand access to home loans for borrowers who possess digital assets. According to the company, this change will come into effect in February and will apply to all of its non-agency products, including home purchases, refinances, and investment properties.
The decision to recognize crypto assets as qualifying assets for mortgage underwriting is a notable development in the financial sector. Newrez will allow eligible crypto holdings to be considered alongside traditional assets such as stocks and bonds. This means that borrowers will no longer be required to liquidate their digital assets before applying for a mortgage. The recognized assets will include Bitcoin, Ether, spot exchange-traded funds backed by these assets, and stablecoins pegged to the US dollar.
Newrez’s Crypto Asset Policy
The crypto assets must be held with US-regulated crypto exchanges or fintech platforms, brokers, or nationally chartered banks. Newrez will adjust crypto valuations used in underwriting to reflect market volatility. While borrowers can use their crypto assets to qualify for a mortgage, they are still required to cover closing costs and make mortgage payments in US dollars. The lender emphasized that the policy aims to integrate crypto into existing risk controls rather than overhauling its underwriting standards.
Leslie Gillin, chief commercial officer at Newrez, stated that the decision reflects changing investor behavior, particularly among younger buyers. About 45% of Gen Z and Millennial investors own cryptocurrencies, and recognition of digital assets could help expand access to homeownership for groups that have had difficulty entering the real estate market.
Industry and Regulatory Context
Newrez’s move comes as US policymakers continue to debate how cryptocurrencies should be considered when assessing mortgage risk. In June 2025, the Federal Housing Finance Agency directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to study how crypto assets could be included in the underwriting of single-family mortgages without first converting them into dollars. The 21st Century Mortgage Act, introduced by Cynthia Lummis, aims to convert this policy into law, arguing that housing affordability challenges are increasingly affecting younger Americans who hold a significant portion of their savings in digital assets.
In related news, Interactive Brokers has expanded its crypto services by allowing customers to fund brokerage accounts with stablecoins that are automatically converted into US dollars. This new feature enables USDC deposits 24/7 across multiple blockchain networks, eliminating delays experienced with traditional transfers. Support for Ripple USD and PayPal USD is expected to begin soon, building on USDC funding that was first launched for retail customers in December.
For more information on Newrez’s crypto asset policy and its implications for the mortgage industry, visit https://cryptonews.com/news/mortgage-lender-newrez-embraces-crypto-assets-in-loan-decisions/.
