Investment in Loans (Schedule of Residential Mortgage Loans) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 11,685,456	$ 11,609,077
Unamortized Premium (Discount)		(189,626)	(164,198)
Fair Value	[1],[2]	$ 11,812,567	$ 11,626,008
Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon		1.44%	1.58%
Weighted Average Yield		4.97%	4.41%
Weighted average life		6 years 3 months 7 days	6 years 8 months 1 day
Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 3,261,327	$ 3,404,544
Unamortized Premium (Discount)			44,117
Amortized Cost			3,448,661
Gains			2,607
Losses			(335,750)
Fair Value		3,024,744	3,115,518
Residential mortgage loans | Non-performing
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		71,211	49,144
Fair Value		67,030	$ 45,110
Residential mortgage loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon			6.41%
Weighted Average Yield			5.99%
Weighted average life			3 years 7 months 2 days
Consolidated securitization trusts [Member] | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Losses		251,700	$ 291,700
Loans held-for-investment [Member] | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		3,261,327	3,225,997
Unamortized Premium (Discount)		42,841	43,806
Amortized Cost		3,304,168	3,269,803
Gains		3,882	2,143
Losses		(283,306)	(327,316)
Fair Value		$ 3,024,744	$ 2,944,630
Loans held-for-investment [Member] | Residential mortgage loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon		6.56%	6.39%
Weighted Average Yield		6.17%	5.97%
Weighted average life		4 years 2 months 19 days	3 years 6 months 25 days
Loans held-for-sale | Residential mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance			$ 178,547
Unamortized Premium (Discount)			311
Amortized Cost			178,858
Gains			464
Losses			(8,434)
Fair Value			$ 170,888
Loans held-for-sale | Residential mortgage loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Weighted Average Coupon			6.68%
Weighted Average Yield			6.44%
Weighted average life			3 years 11 months 26 days
Non-QM loan securitization | Residential mortgage loans | Consolidated Entities [Member] | Securitized loans [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Fair Value		$ 1,662,848	$ 1,665,070

[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.

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