Borrowings (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands				3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Feb. 13, 2019	Aug. 18, 2017	Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Borrowings [Line Items]
Total secured borrowings					$ 3,600,000	$ 2,300,000
Financial Instruments transferred as collateral for repurchase agreements					2,800,000	1,800,000
Collateral on repurchase agreements, unsettled sales					$ 4,100	1,400
Repurchase Agreements amount at risk threshold					10.00%
Other secured borrowings	[1]				$ 96,622	51,062
Other secured borrowings, at fair value	[1]				$ 984,168	$ 754,921
Minimum
Borrowings [Line Items]
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Maturity					30 days
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity				4 days	3 days
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate					0.10%	0.20%
Maximum
Borrowings [Line Items]
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Maturity					364 days
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity				516 days	638 days
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate					3.75%	5.00%
Reverse repurchase agreements
Borrowings [Line Items]
Cash collateral posted for securities sold under agreements to repurchase					$ 70,300	$ 28,900
Securitized residential mortgage loans
Borrowings [Line Items]
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings					1,042,000	801,300
Secured borrowing recourse facility collateralized by unsecured loan portfolio
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings					$ 2,700	$ 8,700
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate					2.10%	2.30%
Secured borrowing recourse facility collateralized by unsecured loan portfolio | Unsecured loans
Borrowings [Line Items]
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings					$ 4,300	$ 11,500
Non-QM loan securitization
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings						$ 754,900
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate					1.68%	2.43%
Secured borrowing facility collateralized by unsecured loan portfolio
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings					$ 38,500	$ 7,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate					2.25%	2.25%
Secured borrowing facility collateralized by unsecured loan portfolio | Unsecured loans
Borrowings [Line Items]
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings					$ 57,100	$ 31,800
Secured borrowing facility collateralized by ABS backed by consumer loans [Member]
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings					$ 46,900	$ 28,700
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate					4.70%	5.22%
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings					$ 67,500	$ 44,500
Commercial mortgage loans
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings					7,500	6,700
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings					18,000	$ 17,300
Loan Participations and Assignments
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings					$ 1,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate					3.17%
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings					$ 1,100
Senior Notes
Borrowings [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate					5.80%
Debt Instrument, Face Amount			$ 86,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		5.50%
Redemption percentage		100.00%
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date			Sep. 01, 2022

[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.