Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2020		Dec. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 111,647	[1]	$ 72,302	[1]	$ 44,656
Restricted cash		175	[1]	175	[1]	425
Securities, at fair value(1)(2)	[1],[2]	1,514,185		2,449,941
Loans, at fair value	[1],[2]	1,453,480		1,412,426
Investment in unconsolidated entities, at fair value	[1]	141,620		71,850
Real estate owned	[1],[2]	23,598		30,584
Investments, financial derivatives, and repurchase agreements:
Investments, at fair value (Cost - $2,970,306)						2,939,311
Reverse repurchase agreements		38,640		73,639		61,274
Total investments and financial derivatives						3,020,586
Financial derivatives—assets, at fair value		15,479		16,788		20,001
Receivables from Brokers-Dealers and Clearing Organizations						780,826
Interest Receivable						37,676
Due from brokers		63,147	[1]	79,829	[1]	71,794
Investment related receivables	[1]	49,317		123,120
Other assets		2,575	[1]	7,563	[1]	15,536
Total Assets		3,413,863		4,338,217		3,971,499
Investments and Financial Derivatives [Abstract]
Securities sold short, at fair value		38,642		73,409		850,577
Financial derivatives—liabilities, at fair value		24,553		27,621		20,806
Total investments and financial derivatives						871,383
Repurchase agreements		1,496,931	[1]	2,445,300	[1]	1,498,849
Due to brokers		5,059		2,197		5,553
Investment related payables		4,754	[1]	66,133	[1]	488,411
Other secured borrowings		51,062	[1]	150,334	[1]	114,100
Other secured borrowings, at fair value		754,921	[1]	594,396	[1]	297,948
Senior notes, net		85,561		85,298		85,035
Base management fee payable to affiliate		3,178		2,663		1,744
Incentive fee payable to affiliate		0		116
Dividends payable		5,738		6,978
Interest payable	[1]	3,233		7,320
Accounts payable and accrued expenses						5,723
Interest and Dividends Payable						7,159
Other Liabilities						424
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	[1]	18,659		7,753
Total Liabilities		2,492,291		3,469,518		3,376,329
Commitments and contingencies
ANALYSIS OF EQUITY:
Preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, 100,000,000 shares authorized;6.750% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable; 4,600,000 shares issued and outstanding ($115,000 liquidation preference)		111,034		111,034		0
Common stock, par value $0.001 per share, 100,000,000 shares authorized; 43,781,684 and 38,647,943 shares issued and outstanding, respectively		44		39		563,833
Additional paid-in-capital		915,658		821,747		0
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)		(141,521)		(103,555)
Total Stockholders' Equity		885,215		829,265		563,833
Non-controlling interests		36,357	[1]	39,434	[1]	31,337
Total Equity		921,572		868,699		595,170
Total Liabilities and Equity		$ 3,413,863		$ 4,338,217		$ 3,971,499
PER SHARE INFORMATION:
Common shares						$ 18.92

[1] Ellington Financial Inc.'s 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.