Borrowings (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) counterparty Rate	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) counterparty
Borrowings [Line Items]
Total secured borrowings			$ 12,200,000	$ 3,600,000
Financial Instruments transferred as collateral for repurchase agreements			3,200,000	2,800,000
Collateral on repurchase agreements, unsettled sales			$ 9,200	4,100
Repurchase Agreements amount at risk threshold			10.00%
Other secured borrowings	[1]		$ 276,058	96,622
Other secured borrowings, at fair value	[1]		1,539,881	984,168
Senior notes, at fair value			$ 191,835	$ 0
Number of Counterparties with Outstanding Reverse Repurchase Agreements | counterparty			26	23
HMBS-related obligations, at fair value			$ 7,787,155	$ 0
Secured borrowing recourse facility collateralized by unsecured loan portfolio
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings				$ 2,700
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate				2.10%
Secured borrowing facility collateralized by ABS backed by consumer loans [Member]
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings			37,800	$ 46,900
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings			$ 70,300	$ 67,500
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate			8.68%	4.70%
Non-QM loan securitization
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings				$ 984,200
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate			3.00%	1.68%
Commercial mortgage loans
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings				$ 7,500
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings				18,000
Loan Participations and Assignments
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings				1,000
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings				$ 1,100
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate				3.17%
Secured borrowing facility collateralized by unsecured loan portfolio
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings				$ 38,500
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate				2.25%
Warehouse facility A
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings			$ 59,640
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings			$ 65,652
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate | Rate			8.43%
Secured borrowing facility collateralized by HECM tail draws
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings			$ 22,600
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings			$ 35,100
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate			8.00%
Secured borrowing facility collateralized by MSRs
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings			$ 42,800
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings			$ 95,600
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate			9.37%
GNMA HMBS
Borrowings [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate			5.23%
HMBS-related obligations, at fair value			$ 7,800,000
Minimum
Borrowings [Line Items]
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Maturity			30 days
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		3 days	3 days
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate			0.63%	0.10%
Maximum
Borrowings [Line Items]
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Maturity			364 days
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		638 days	263 days
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate			7.97%	3.75%
Reverse repurchase agreements
Borrowings [Line Items]
Cash collateral posted for securities sold under agreements to repurchase			$ 20,300	$ 70,300
Unsecured loans | Secured borrowing recourse facility collateralized by unsecured loan portfolio
Borrowings [Line Items]
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings				4,300
Unsecured loans | Secured borrowing facility collateralized by unsecured loan portfolio
Borrowings [Line Items]
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings				57,100
Securitized residential mortgage loans
Borrowings [Line Items]
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings			1,700,000	1,000,000
Corporate equity securities | Mortgage-related Commercial
Borrowings [Line Items]
Fair Value			68,500	$ 36,900
HECM loans | GNMA HMBS
Borrowings [Line Items]
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings			7,900,000
5.50% Senior Notes | Senior Notes
Borrowings [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount			$ 86,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage			5.50%
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date			Sep. 01, 2022
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate			5.80%
5.875% Senior Notes | Senior Notes
Borrowings [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount			$ 210,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage			5.875%
Redemption percentage			100.00%
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date			Apr. 01, 2027

[1] Ellington Financial Inc.'s Consolidated Balance Sheets include assets and liabilities of variable interest entities it has consolidated. See Note 11 for additional details on Ellington Financial Inc.'s consolidated variable interest entities.