Investment in Loans (Schedule of Commercial Mortgage Loans) (Details) (Details) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2022 USD ($) loan	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) loan
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 4,073,065	$ 2,366,724
Unamortized Premium (Discount)		(150,657)	(143,262)
Loans, at fair value	[1],[2]	$ 3,822,895	$ 2,415,321
Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon		1.66%	3.52%
Weighted Average Yield		4.05%	3.24%
Weighted average life		7 years 1 month 2 days	5 years 11 months 8 days
Commercial mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 465,924	$ 326,438
Unamortized Premium (Discount)		0	0
Investments, at fair value, Cost		465,924	326,438
Gains		42	76
Losses		(1,453)	(317)
Loans, at fair value		464,513	326,197
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss		1,500	300
Commercial mortgage loans | Non-performing
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		31,800	15,500
Loans, at fair value		$ 31,800	$ 15,500
Number of loans | loan		2	1
Commercial mortgage loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon		8.39%	7.05%
Weighted Average Yield		9.01%	6.99%
Weighted average life		1 year 21 days	1 year 3 months 29 days
Non-accrual status [Member] | Commercial mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, at fair value			$ 15,500
Non-accrual status [Member] | Commercial mortgage loans | Non-performing
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, at fair value		$ 31,800

[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.