Investment in Loans (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2022 USD ($) loan	Mar. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) loan
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, at fair value	[1],[2]	$ 2,884,627		$ 2,415,321
Unpaid Principal Balance		2,904,894		2,366,724
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale, Purchased with Credit Deterioration, Allowance for Credit Loss at Acquisition Date		300		300
Commercial mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, at fair value		429,954		326,197
Losses		(163)		(317)
Unpaid Principal Balance		430,031		326,438
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss		200		300
Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, at fair value		2,433,007		2,016,228
Losses				(13,184)
Mortgage Loans in Process of Foreclosure, Amount		10,000		8,100
Unpaid Principal Balance		2,452,210		1,969,874
Consumer loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, at fair value		9,878		62,365
Losses		(1,708)		(1,537)
Unpaid Principal Balance		10,865		59,881
Delinquent loans, charged off		1,300	$ 1,900
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss		1,200		1,300
Fair value of charged-off loans		300		300
Non-performing | Commercial mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, at fair value		$ 31,500		$ 15,500
Number of loans | loan		2		1
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 31,500		$ 15,500
Non-performing | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, at fair value		28,150		30,806
Unpaid Principal Balance		30,808		33,949
Performing Financial Instruments [Member] | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, at fair value		9,767		20,611
Unpaid Principal Balance		10,402		20,712
Performing Financial Instruments [Member] | Consumer loans | Participation in Multi-Seller Consumer Loan Securitization [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Aggregate unpaid principal balance of loans sold		47,700
Loans held-for-investment [Member] | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, at fair value		2,433,007		2,004,888
Losses		(72,105)		(13,173)
Unpaid Principal Balance		2,452,210		1,958,807
Realized Losses, Write offs on loans			33
Financing Receivable, Purchased with Credit Deterioration, Allowance for Credit Loss at Acquisition Date		7	100
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss		8,500		$ 3,000
Loans held-for-investment [Member] | Consumer loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Realized Losses, Write offs on loans		$ (26)	$ (1,300)

[1] Ellington Financial Inc.'s Condensed 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.