US lender Newrez said it will begin treating eligible cryptocurrency holdings as qualifying assets in its mortgage underwriting process. The policy is set to take effect in February and will apply across the firm’s non-agency mortgage products, including home purchases, refinancings, and investment properties.
At launch, Newrez will recognize Bitcoin, Ether, spot exchange-traded funds backed by those assets, and US dollar-backed stablecoins. Assets must be held with US-regulated exchanges, brokerages, fintech platforms, or nationally chartered banks, and valuations may be adjusted to reflect crypto market volatility. Borrowers will still be required to make payments and cover closing costs in US dollars.
The move comes amid broader regulatory and industry discussions around digital assets in housing finance. US policymakers have explored whether crypto holdings should factor into mortgage risk assessments, particularly as younger borrowers increasingly hold wealth in digital assets rather than traditional investments.
