Coinbase launches crypto-backed mortgages with Better

Coinbase and Better Home & Finance announced Bitcoin-backed mortgages on August 26, 2026, designed in accordance with Fannie Mae. The first mortgage closed in June 2026 by Michigan couple Joe and Amy, who used Bitcoin as collateral without selling. Coinbase One members receive rebates up to $10,000. Competitor Milo surpassed $100 million in digital asset mortgages in 2026, while Ledn projects the Bitcoin-backed loan market could grow from $3 billion to $1 trillion in ten years.

Bitcoin-backed mortgage launch

• ▪Coinbase and Better Mortgage announced the funding of the first Bitcoin-backed mortgage in June 2026
• ▪Coinbase and Better Mortgage announced the availability of Bitcoin-backed mortgages for Americans on August 26, 2026
• ▪The first Bitcoin-backed mortgage by Coinbase and Better was closed by a married Michigan couple named Joe and Amy in June 2026
• ▪Better Mortgage is listed on Nasdaq
• ▪The Bitcoin-backed mortgage service was designed in accordance with the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae)
• ▪Ziggy Jonsson is Chief Technology Officer at Better Mortgage

Younger homebuyer targeting

• ▪The Bitcoin-backed mortgage service hopes to cater to younger wannabe homeowners who have Bitcoin holdings
• ▪In 2025, high interest rates, record home prices, and limited inventory pushed the median age of a first-time homebuyer to 40
• ▪Coinbase counts millions of monthly users worldwide

Collateral without liquidation

• ▪Borrowers in the United States can use Bitcoin as collateral for a down payment without having to sell it or face margin calls
• ▪Joe and Amy used their Bitcoin holdings as collateral to fund their down payment rather than liquidating their position
• ▪Coinbase One members can pledge crypto as collateral without selling their holdings

Coinbase One member rebates

• ▪Coinbase One members will be eligible for a rebate equal to 1% of the mortgage value, up to a maximum of $10,000
• ▪Ben Shen is head of financial services and loyalty products at Coinbase

Crypto mortgage market growth

• ▪Ledn released research claiming that the Bitcoin-backed loan space could grow from its current size of $3 billion to $1 trillion in the next 10 years
• ▪Crypto-backed lender Milo surpassed $100 million in digital asset mortgages in 2026, including a record $12 million loan

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