Investment in Loans - Reverse Mortgage Loans Summary (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2022
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 11,685,456		$ 11,609,077
Loans, at fair value	[1],[2]	$ 11,812,567		$ 11,626,008
Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Investment Interest Rate		1.44%		1.58%
Weighted average life		6 years 3 months 7 days		6 years 8 months 1 day
Corporate loan [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 4,965		$ 4,132
Loans, at fair value		$ 4,920		$ 4,086
Corporate loan [Member] | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Investment Interest Rate		8.05%		5.47%
Weighted average life		2 years 4 months 9 days	2 years 8 months 26 days
Reverse mortgage loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 8,038,532		$ 7,788,490
Loans, at fair value		8,404,701		8,097,237
Reverse mortgage loans | Reverse mortgage loans, held for investment
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		7,909,416		7,688,050
Loans, at fair value		8,266,467		7,993,635
Reverse mortgage loans | Reverse mortgage loans, held for investment | Securitized loans [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		7,723,014		7,577,139
Loans, at fair value		8,078,684		7,873,964
Reverse mortgage loans | Reverse mortgage loans, held for investment | Unsecuritized loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		186,402		110,911
Loans, at fair value		187,783		119,671
Reverse mortgage loans | Loans held-for-sale
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		129,116		100,440
Loans, at fair value		138,234		$ 103,602
Reverse mortgage loans | Unpoolable HECM loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		80,547
Loans, at fair value		$ 72,726
Reverse mortgage loans | Weighted Average
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Investment Interest Rate		6.21%		5.87%
Weighted average life		5 years 3 months 10 days		5 years 2 months 4 days
Reverse mortgage loans | Weighted Average | Reverse mortgage loans, held for investment
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Investment Interest Rate		6.14%		5.81%
Weighted average life		5 years 1 month 2 days		5 years 7 days
Reverse mortgage loans | Weighted Average | Reverse mortgage loans, held for investment | Securitized loans [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Investment Interest Rate		6.12%		5.80%
Weighted average life		5 years 1 month 6 days		4 years 11 months 26 days
Reverse mortgage loans | Weighted Average | Reverse mortgage loans, held for investment | Unsecuritized loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Investment Interest Rate		6.69%		6.53%
Weighted average life		4 years 8 months 23 days		7 years 1 month 24 days
Reverse mortgage loans | Weighted Average | Loans held-for-sale
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Investment Interest Rate		10.47%		10.35%
Weighted average life		16 years 9 months 21 days		17 years 7 months 17 days

[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.