Investment in Loans (Schedule of Consumer Loans) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance			$ 2,366,724	$ 1,417,054
Unamortized Premium (Discount)			(143,262)	(196,118)
Loans, at fair value	[1],[2]		$ 2,415,321	1,453,480
Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted average life		4 years 5 months 26 days	5 years 11 months 8 days
Consumer loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Fair value of charged-off loans			$ 300	600
Unpaid Principal Balance			59,881	48,180
Unamortized Premium (Discount)			3,212	72
Investments, at fair value, Cost			63,093	48,252
Gains			809	1,160
Losses			(1,537)	(1,887)
Loans, at fair value			$ 62,365	$ 47,525
Consumer loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted average life		1 year 14 days	11 months 8 days
Delinquency (Days)		7 days	4 days

[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.