US mortgage lender Rate has launched a nationwide program allowing qualified borrowers to use verified cryptocurrency holdings to meet underwriting requirements without liquidating assets. The product, RateFi, counts crypto as qualifying reserves or an income source through a proprietary valuation framework. This formal step integrates digital assets into traditional home financing amid a housing affordability crisis, particularly affecting younger generations who are active in the crypto economy.
US mortgage lender Rate has launched a nationwide program that allows qualified borrowers to use verified cryptocurrency holdings to help meet underwriting requirements. The RateFi product permits crypto assets to count as qualifying reserves and, in some cases, as an income source without liquidation.
For underwriting, RateFi assesses digital assets through a proprietary framework factoring in market price, liquidity, and volatility. However, any crypto used for a down payment or closing costs must still be converted to cash, which can trigger taxable events.
The rollout comes as more than 10% of Americans report holding digital assets. Most traditional mortgage programs do not recognize cryptocurrency as qualifying collateral unless it is first liquidated.
RateFi works with a curated set of established, high-liquidity large-cap cryptocurrencies and major US dollar-backed stablecoins. Eligible assets must be held with approved custodians or centralized exchanges, with borrowers providing proof of ownership and asset seasoning.
Kate Amor, EVP at Rate, stated that housing affordability pressures are driving interest in crypto-enabled home financing. “Younger generations are entering their peak homebuying years at a time when traditional paths to ownership are increasingly out of reach, yet they’re also the most active participants in the digital asset economy,” she said.
The program applies standard anti-money laundering and know-your-customer verification. It is available through Rate’s existing digital mortgage platform.
In June 2025, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William J. Pulte instructed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to draft proposals on treating cryptocurrency as a reserve asset. In July, Senator Cynthia Lummis introduced the 21st Century Mortgage Act to codify that directive.
A niche market for crypto-backed real estate financing already exists with lenders like Nexo and Ledn. A January survey found a pronounced generational divide, with younger respondents far more likely to view crypto as credible and central to finance’s future.
