v3.21.2

Investment in Securities (Maturities of Securities) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Sep. 30, 2021 | Dec. 31, 2020
--- | --- | ---
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) | [1],[2] | $ 1,895,563 | $ 1,514,185
Amortized Cost |  | $ 1,856,210 | $ 1,474,155
Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 3.63% | 3.92%
Long |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 1,895,563 | $ 1,514,185
Amortized Cost |  | $ 1,885,646 | $ 1,508,997
Long | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 3.57% | 3.84%
Long | Agency RMBS |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 1,498,930 | $ 911,787
Amortized Cost |  | $ 1,490,830 | $ 881,270
Long | Agency RMBS | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 3.10% | 3.84%
Long | Agency RMBS | Less than three years [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 48,284 | $ 139,059
Amortized Cost |  | $ 47,527 | $ 135,844
Long | Agency RMBS | Less than three years [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 4.05% | 4.15%
Long | Agency RMBS | Greater than three years less than seven years [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 977,274 | $ 770,173
Amortized Cost |  | $ 970,123 | $ 742,946
Long | Agency RMBS | Greater than three years less than seven years [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 3.31% | 3.79%
Long | Agency RMBS | Greater than seven years less than eleven [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 472,327 | $ 2,555
Amortized Cost |  | $ 472,137 | $ 2,480
Long | Agency RMBS | Greater than seven years less than eleven [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 2.56% | 3.01%
Long | Agency RMBS | Greater than eleven year [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 1,045 | $ 0
Amortized Cost |  | $ 1,043 | $ 0
Long | Agency RMBS | Greater than eleven year [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 2.00% | 0.00%
Long | Agency RMBS | Interest only securities |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 38,077 | $ 47,656
Amortized Cost |  | $ 35,948 | $ 43,406
Long | Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 3.51% | 3.36%
Long | Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Less than three years [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 7,496 | $ 8,143
Amortized Cost |  | $ 7,032 | $ 7,314
Long | Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Less than three years [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 3.54% | 3.99%
Long | Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Greater than three years less than seven years [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 28,763 | $ 32,669
Amortized Cost |  | $ 27,162 | $ 29,362
Long | Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Greater than three years less than seven years [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 3.63% | 3.74%
Long | Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Greater than seven years less than eleven [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 1,818 | $ 5,165
Amortized Cost |  | $ 1,754 | $ 5,063
Long | Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Greater than seven years less than eleven [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 1.43% | 1.04%
Long | Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Greater than eleven year [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 0 | $ 1,679
Amortized Cost |  | $ 0 | $ 1,667
Long | Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Greater than eleven year [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 0.00% | 0.83%
Long | Non-Agency RMBS and CMBS |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 195,808 | $ 312,157
Amortized Cost |  | $ 191,028 | $ 317,081
Long | Non-Agency RMBS and CMBS | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 4.53% | 2.98%
Long | Non-Agency RMBS and CMBS | Less than three years [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 73,102 | $ 58,350
Amortized Cost |  | $ 68,824 | $ 54,339
Long | Non-Agency RMBS and CMBS | Less than three years [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 5.06% | 3.39%
Long | Non-Agency RMBS and CMBS | Greater than three years less than seven years [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 56,905 | $ 114,815
Amortized Cost |  | $ 54,286 | $ 109,161
Long | Non-Agency RMBS and CMBS | Greater than three years less than seven years [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 3.57% | 3.45%
Long | Non-Agency RMBS and CMBS | Greater than seven years less than eleven [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 54,517 | $ 109,519
Amortized Cost |  | $ 56,473 | $ 123,782
Long | Non-Agency RMBS and CMBS | Greater than seven years less than eleven [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 5.33% | 2.74%
Long | Non-Agency RMBS and CMBS | Greater than eleven year [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 11,284 | $ 29,473
Amortized Cost |  | $ 11,445 | $ 29,799
Long | Non-Agency RMBS and CMBS | Greater than eleven year [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 1.93% | 1.46%
Long | Non-Agency RMBS |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 185,010 | $ 201,090
Amortized Cost |  | $ 179,586 | $ 190,759
Long | Non-Agency RMBS | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 4.63% | 3.15%
Long | Non-Agency RMBS | Interest only securities |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 11,349 | $ 9,610
Amortized Cost |  | $ 9,999 | $ 8,123
Long | Non-Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 0.98% | 1.17%
Long | Non-Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Less than three years [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 2,172 | $ 5,163
Amortized Cost |  | $ 1,324 | $ 3,754
Long | Non-Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Less than three years [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 0.00% | 0.92%
Long | Non-Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Greater than three years less than seven years [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 4,142 | $ 4,447
Amortized Cost |  | $ 3,980 | $ 4,369
Long | Non-Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Greater than three years less than seven years [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 2.18% | 1.37%
Long | Non-Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Greater than seven years less than eleven [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 5,035 | $ 0
Amortized Cost |  | $ 4,695 | $ 0
Long | Non-Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Greater than seven years less than eleven [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 0.23% | 0.00%
Long | Non-Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Greater than eleven year [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 0 | $ 0
Amortized Cost |  | $ 0 | $ 0
Long | Non-Agency RMBS | Interest only securities | Greater than eleven year [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 0.00% | 0.00%
Long | CLOs And Other Securities [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 143,405 | $ 231,385
Amortized Cost |  | $ 152,371 | $ 257,513
Long | CLOs And Other Securities [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 7.36% | 5.09%
Long | CLOs And Other Securities [Member] | Less than three years [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 108,880 | $ 89,235
Amortized Cost |  | $ 112,891 | $ 90,869
Long | CLOs And Other Securities [Member] | Less than three years [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 8.73% | 7.73%
Long | CLOs And Other Securities [Member] | Greater than three years less than seven years [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 34,525 | $ 139,830
Amortized Cost |  | $ 39,480 | $ 163,670
Long | CLOs And Other Securities [Member] | Greater than three years less than seven years [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 3.43% | 3.69%
Long | CLOs And Other Securities [Member] | Greater than seven years less than eleven [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 0 | $ 2,320
Amortized Cost |  | $ 0 | $ 2,974
Long | CLOs And Other Securities [Member] | Greater than seven years less than eleven [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 0.00% | 1.14%
Long | CLOs And Other Securities [Member] | Greater than eleven year [Member] |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Securities, at fair value(1)(2) |  | $ 0 | $ 0
Amortized Cost |  | $ 0 | $ 0
Long | CLOs And Other Securities [Member] | Greater than eleven year [Member] | Weighted Average |  |  |
Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted Average Coupon |  | 0.00% | 0.00%
[1] | Ellington Financial Inc.'s Condensed 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.

X
- Definition This item represents the cost of debt and equity securities, which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading, net of adjustments including accretion, amortization, collection of cash, previous other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings (less any cumulative-effect adjustments recognized, as defined), and fair value hedge accounting adjustments, if any. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(6)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124258926&loc=SL82898722-210454 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124260329&loc=d3e26610-111562 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (aa) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123581744&loc=d3e27161-111563 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Rate of interest on investment. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123581744&loc=d3e27232-111563 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123581744&loc=d3e27161-111563 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentInterestRate
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_WeightedAverageMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PositionAxis=us-gaap_LongMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | efc_EstimateweightedaveragelifeAxis=efc_LessthanthreeyearsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | efc_EstimateweightedaveragelifeAxis=efc_GreaterthanthreeyearslessthansevenyearsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | efc_EstimateweightedaveragelifeAxis=efc_GreaterthansevenyearslessthanelevenMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | efc_EstimateweightedaveragelifeAxis=efc_GreaterthanelevenyearMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_InterestOnlyStripMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=efc_ResidentialMortgageandCommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByPrivateEnterprisesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=efc_CollateralizedLoanObligationsAndOtherSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |