v3.21.2

Securitization Transactions (Schedule of Assets and Liabilities Attributable to Consolidated VIEs) (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands

Sep. 30, 2021

Dec. 31, 2020

Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]

Other secured borrowings, at fair value

^[1]

$ 872,306

$ 754,921

Loans, at fair value

^[1],[2]

1,996,529

1,453,480

Real estate owned

^[1],[2]

37,002

23,598

Investment related receivables

^[1]

97,721

49,317

Residential mortgage loans

Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]

Loans, at fair value

1,656,701

1,187,069

Consolidated Entities [Member] | Non-QM loan securitization

Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]

Other secured borrowings, at fair value

872,306

754,921

Investment related receivables

26,871

15,544

Consolidated Entities [Member] | Residential mortgage loans | Securitized loans [Member] | Non-QM loan securitization

Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]

Loans, at fair value

$ 917,275

$ 801,343

[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

Fair value of loans which can include loans held-for-investment or held-for-sale.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	efc_Investmentinloans
Namespace Prefix:	efc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Liabilities, at fair value, associated with consolidated securitization trusts. Shown net of notes held by the Company (eliminated in consolidation).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	efc_Othersecuredborrowingsatfairvalue
Namespace Prefix:	efc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Receivables From Securities Sold, Financial Derivatives, Interest and Principal

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	efc_ReceivablesFromSecuritiesSoldFinancialDerivativesInterestandPrincipal
Namespace Prefix:	efc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of land and buildings obtained through foreclosure proceedings or defeasance in full or partial satisfaction of a debt arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123577603&loc=d3e5162-111524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124259787&loc=d3e4437-111522

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstateAcquiredThroughForeclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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_VariableInterestEntityLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidatedEntitiesAxis=us-gaap_ConsolidatedEntitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SecuritiesFinancingTransactionAxis=efc_NonQMloansecuritizationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentPerformanceStatusAxis=efc_SecuritizedloansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: