Related Party Transactions (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2023 USD ($) period		Mar. 31, 2022 USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2023 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) numberOfWarrants
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Annual base management fee percentage		1.50%
Base management fee to affiliate	[1]	$ 4,956		$ 4,266
Base management fee, gross		5,100		4,900
Management Fee Expense, Rebates		$ 172		657	[1]
Incentive fee rate		25.00%
Incentive fee hurdle rate fixed		9.00%
Incentive fee hurdle rate floating		3.00%
Minimum percentage of incentive fee to be paid in share		10.00%
Termination Fee, Number Of Periods | period		2
Termination Fee, Period		12 months
Expense Reimbursement Period		60 days
Expense Reimbursement - Manager		$ 4,800		5,700
Real estate owned	[2],[3]	26,717					$ 28,403
Securities, at fair value(1)(2)	[2],[3]	1,389,547					1,459,465
Non-controlling interests	[2]	24,931					24,919
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	[2]	91,115					73,819
Reverse repurchase agreements		2,285,898					2,609,685
Other assets		90,105	[2]			$ 90,105	76,791	[2]
Unpaid Principal Balance		11,685,456					11,609,077
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party				1,100
Securities Collateral relating to Reverse Repurchase Agreements		2,900,000					3,200,000
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		21		(6,960)
Loans, at fair value	[2],[3]	11,812,567					11,626,008
Earnings (losses) from investments in unconsolidated entities		3,444		(5,506)
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments		5,654		2,678
Investment in unconsolidated entities, at fair value	[2]	118,747					127,046
Realized gains (losses) on securities and loans, net		(36,767)		806
Corporate loan [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		4,965					4,132
Loans, at fair value		4,920					4,086
Related Party-Consumer Loans Titled in Name of Related Party
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Fair value of loans held in related party trust		72,200					70,200
Affiliated Entity [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	[2]	3,200					4,100
Mortgage Originator
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Warehouse facility, monetary amount		$ 5,000
Interest rate		15.00%
Advances made under warehouse facility		$ 0					0
Purchasing Entity
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Fair value of loans held in related party trust		3,600					4,300
Related party trust - Residential Mortgage Loans and REO
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Fair value of loans held in related party trust		1,400,000					1,500,000
Jepson Holdings Limited
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Investment in unconsolidated entities, at fair value		700					$ 600
LendSure Mortgage Corp [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Earnings (losses) from investments in unconsolidated entities		(1,500)		$ (4,300)
Promissory note to equity method investee, effective date November 2022 | Equity Method Investee | Corporate loan [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Investment Interest Rate							10.00%
Unpaid Principal Balance							$ 50
Loans, at fair value							50
Realized gains (losses) on securities and loans, net		(500)
Commercial mortgage loans and REO
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Reverse repurchase agreements		251,700					274,400
Fair Value		2,200					2,200
Investment in Loan Originator | LendSure Mortgage Corp [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Investment in unconsolidated entities, at fair value		25,200					$ 26,700
Investment in Loan Originator | Loan Originator - Other
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Earnings (losses) from investments in unconsolidated entities		(100)
Warrants | Mortgage Originator
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Derivative, Number of Instruments Held | numberOfWarrants							8,280,000
Long
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Securities, at fair value(1)(2)		1,389,547					$ 1,459,465
Warrants | Mortgage Originator
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Investment in unconsolidated entities, at fair value		10,900					11,500
Non-controlling interest of joint venture partner | Unrelated third party joint venture interest | Commercial mortgage loans and REO
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Non-controlling interests		300					300
Non-controlling interest of joint venture partner | Related party joint venture interest | Commercial mortgage loans and REO
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Non-controlling interests		400					400
Mortgage-related Commercial | Corporate equity securities
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Fair Value		61,100					68,500
Participation in multi-borrower financing facility
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Outstanding debt of related party		772,500					872,500
Warehouse facilities - CLO securitizations
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Investment in unconsolidated entities, at fair value		$ 600					$ 500

[1] See Note 15 for further details on management fee rebates.

[2] 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.

[3] Includes assets pledged as collateral to counterparties. See Note 13 for additional details on the Company's borrowings and related collateral.