(Schedule of Reverse Repurchase Agreements by Maturity) (Details) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2022 USD ($) counterparty	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements	[1]	$ 2,895,019	$ 2,469,763
Number of Counterparties with Outstanding Reverse Repurchase Agreements | counterparty		23
Total secured borrowings		$ 4,600,000	3,600,000
Agency RMBS
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		1,143,644	1,639,887
Agency RMBS | 30 Days or Less
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		450,636	180,059
Agency RMBS | 31-60 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		392,372	254,027
Agency RMBS | 61-90 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		67,883	154,520
Agency RMBS | 91-120 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		99,578	129,057
Agency RMBS | 151 to 180 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		55,223	71,824
Agency RMBS | Total Credit Assets
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		0	3,791
Agency RMBS | 121-150 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		77,952	275,915
Agency RMBS | More Than 360 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		0	570,694
U.S. Treasury securities
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		30,781	0
U.S. Treasury securities | 30 Days or Less
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		30,781	0
Credit
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		1,720,594	829,876
Credit | 30 Days or Less
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		16,157	377,440
Credit | 31-60 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		79,287	102,567
Credit | 61-90 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		121,862	96,823
Credit | 91-120 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		1,117,144	35,346
Credit | 151 to 180 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		29,596	87,863
Credit | Total Credit Assets
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		0	126,484
Credit | 121-150 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		15,627	3,353
Credit | More Than 360 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements		$ 340,921	$ 0
Minimum
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		0.20%	0.10%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		3 days	3 days
Maximum
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		6.89%	3.75%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		355 days	638 days
Weighted Average
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		4.00%	0.82%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		106 days	134 days
Weighted Average | Agency RMBS
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		2.40%	0.19%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		52 days	144 days
Weighted Average | Agency RMBS | 30 Days or Less
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		2.23%	0.17%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		15 days	9 days
Weighted Average | Agency RMBS | 31-60 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		2.42%	0.23%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		45 days	44 days
Weighted Average | Agency RMBS | 61-90 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		2.38%	0.20%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		75 days	70 days
Weighted Average | Agency RMBS | 91-120 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		2.63%	0.16%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		105 days	105 days
Weighted Average | Agency RMBS | 151 to 180 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		3.74%	0.16%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		165 days	164 days
Weighted Average | Agency RMBS | Total Credit Assets
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		0.00%	0.13%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		0 days	366 days
Weighted Average | Agency RMBS | 121-150 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		2.05%	0.17%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		137 days	136 days
Weighted Average | Agency RMBS | More Than 360 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		0.00%	0.20%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		0 days	260 days
Weighted Average | U.S. Treasury securities
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		3.01%	0.00%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		3 days	0 days
Weighted Average | U.S. Treasury securities | 30 Days or Less
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		3.01%	0.00%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		3 days	0 days
Weighted Average | Non-Agency RMBS | Total Credit Assets
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		0 days
Weighted Average | Non-Agency RMBS | More Than 360 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity			0 days
Weighted Average | Credit
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		5.08%	2.08%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		144 days	114 days
Weighted Average | Credit | 30 Days or Less
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		3.83%	2.09%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		10 days	16 days
Weighted Average | Credit | 31-60 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		4.10%	1.38%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		49 days	44 days
Weighted Average | Credit | 61-90 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		4.06%	1.50%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		74 days	78 days
Weighted Average | Credit | 91-120 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		5.15%	2.00%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		106 days	109 days
Weighted Average | Credit | 151 to 180 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		5.70%	2.82%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		167 days	151 days
Weighted Average | Credit | Total Credit Assets
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		0.00%	2.58%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity			462 days
Weighted Average | Credit | 121-150 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		5.11%	1.56%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		124 days	139 days
Weighted Average | Credit | More Than 360 Days
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		5.46%	0.00%
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		321 days

[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.