Borrowings (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2023 USD ($) counterparty Rate	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) counterparty Rate
Borrowings [Line Items]
Total secured borrowings		$ 12,200,000	$ 12,200,000
Financial Instruments transferred as collateral for repurchase agreements		2,900,000	3,200,000
Collateral on repurchase agreements, unsettled sales		$ 11,200	9,200
Repurchase Agreements amount at risk threshold		10.00%
Other secured borrowings	[1]	$ 363,640	276,058
Other secured borrowings, at fair value	[1]	1,534,592	1,539,881
Senior notes, at fair value		$ 185,325	$ 191,835
Number of Counterparties with Outstanding Reverse Repurchase Agreements | counterparty		27	26
HMBS-related obligations, at fair value		$ 7,975,916	$ 7,787,155
Secured borrowing facility collateralized by ABS backed by consumer loans [Member]
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings		34,300	37,800
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		$ 69,200	$ 70,300
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate		9.16%	8.68%
Non-QM loan securitization
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings			$ 1,540,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate		3.01%	3.00%
Warehouse facility A
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings		$ 43,302	$ 59,640
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		$ 48,083	$ 65,652
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate | Rate		8.38%	8.43%
Secured borrowing facility collateralized by HECM tail draws
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings		$ 23,700	$ 22,600
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		$ 34,400	$ 35,100
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate		8.50%	8.00%
Secured borrowing facility collateralized by MSRs
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings		$ 45,000	$ 42,800
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		$ 107,900	$ 95,600
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate		9.66%	9.37%
GNMA HMBS
Borrowings [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate		5.48%	5.23%
HMBS-related obligations, at fair value		$ 8,000,000	$ 7,800,000
Secured borrowing facility collateralized by HECM loans
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings		58,700
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		$ 56,700
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate		6.78%
MLPS Counterparty
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings		$ 9,700
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		$ 11,600
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate		6.81%
Minimum
Borrowings [Line Items]
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Maturity		30 days
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		3 days	3 days
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		3.49%	0.63%
Maximum
Borrowings [Line Items]
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Maturity		364 days
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		788 days	263 days
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		8.79%	7.97%
Reverse repurchase agreements
Borrowings [Line Items]
Cash collateral posted for securities sold under agreements to repurchase		$ 3,300	$ 20,300
Securitized residential mortgage loans
Borrowings [Line Items]
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		1,700,000	1,700,000
Corporate equity securities | Mortgage-related Commercial
Borrowings [Line Items]
Fair Value		61,100	68,500
HECM loans | GNMA HMBS
Borrowings [Line Items]
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		8,100,000	$ 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 Condensed 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.