Related Party Transactions (Details) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2023 USD ($) period numberOfWarrants	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Annual base management fee percentage		1.50%
Base management fee to affiliate	[1]	$ 20,419	$ 16,847	[2]	$ 13,422
Base management fee, gross		20,900	18,500		16,000
Base management fee to affiliate (Net of fee rebates of $473, $1,612, and $2,593, respectively)(2)		$ 473	1,612	[1]	2,593
Incentive fee rate		25.00%
Incentive Fee, Loss Carryforward		$ 22,100	85,000
Incentive fee to affiliate		$ 0	0	[2]	15,658
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		$ 21,900	16,200		12,700
Investments in unconsolidated entities, at fair value(1)	[3]	116,414	127,046
Non-controlling interests(1)	[3]	18,541	24,919
Reverse repurchase agreements		2,967,437	2,609,685
Real estate owned(1)(2)	[3],[4]	22,085	28,403
Securities, at fair value(1)(2)	[3],[4]	1,518,377	1,459,465
Accrued expenses and other liabilities(1)	[3]	90,341	73,819
Other assets(1)	[3]	77,099	76,791
Unpaid Principal Balance		12,164,019	11,609,077
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party		1,400	8,400		5,900
Securities Collateral relating to Reverse Repurchase Agreements		3,700,000	3,200,000
Income tax expense (benefit)		457	(17,716)	[2]	3,144
Loans, at fair value(1)(2)	[3],[4]	12,306,636	11,626,008
Earnings (losses) from investments in unconsolidated entities		(855)	(63,614)	[2]	58,104
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments		55,999	32,835		24,066
Realized gains (losses) on securities and loans, net		(93,993)	(105,449)	[2]	$ 5,017
Corporate loan [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance		6,379	4,132
Loans, at fair value(1)(2)		5,819	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		74,200	70,200
Affiliated Entity [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	[3]	5,200	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
Investments in unconsolidated entities, at fair value(1)		600
Purchasing Entity
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Fair value of loans held in related party trust		1,600	4,300
Related party trust - Residential Mortgage Loans and REO
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Fair value of loans held in related party trust		1,600,000	1,500,000
Jepson Holdings Limited
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Investments in unconsolidated entities, at fair value(1)		600	$ 600
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(1)(2)			50
Realized gains (losses) on securities and loans, net		(500)
Commercial mortgage loans and REO
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Fair Value			2,200
Reverse repurchase agreements		165,900	274,400
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)		$ 1,518,377	1,459,465
Warrants | Mortgage Originator
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Investments in unconsolidated entities, at fair value(1)		10,300	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(1)			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(1)			400
Mortgage-related Commercial | Corporate equity securities
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Fair Value		63,700	68,500
Participation in multi-borrower financing facility
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Outstanding debt of related party		560,500	872,500
Warehouse facilities - CLO securitizations
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Investments in unconsolidated entities, at fair value(1)		$ 200	$ 500

[1] See Note 16 for further details on management fee rebates.

[2] Conformed to current period presentation.

[3] Ellington Financial Inc.'s Consolidated Balance Sheets include assets and liabilities of variable interest entities it has consolidated. See Note 12 for additional details on Ellington Financial Inc.'s consolidated variable interest entities.

[4] Includes assets pledged as collateral to counterparties. See Note 14 for additional details on the Company's borrowings and related collateral.