Business Combinations Purchase Price Allocations (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands				12 Months Ended
		Dec. 14, 2023	Oct. 03, 2022	Dec. 31, 2023		Dec. 31, 2022		Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Securities, at fair value(1)(2)	[1],[2]			$ 1,518,377		$ 1,459,465
Other assets(1)	[1]			77,099		76,791
Repurchase agreements(1)	[1]			2,967,437		2,609,685
Bargain purchase gain				28,175		7,932		$ 0
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross				0		(38,886)		0
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value				228,927	[1]	217,053	[1]	92,661	$ 111,647
Restricted cash				1,618	[1]	4,816	[1]	$ 175	$ 175
Loan commitments, at fair value				2,584		3,060
Mortgage servicing rights, at fair value				29,580		8,108
Real estate owned(1)(2)	[1],[2]			22,085		28,403
Financial derivatives–assets, at fair value-				143,996		132,518
Due from brokers				51,884		36,761
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net				1,473
HMBS-related obligations, at fair value				8,423,235		7,787,155
Interest payable(1)	[1]			22,933		22,452
Accrued expenses and other liabilities(1)	[1]			$ 90,341		$ 73,819
Arlington Asset Investment Corp.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Other		$ 177,302
Securities, at fair value(1)(2)		645,708
MSR Financing Receivables, at Fair Value		177,421
Other assets(1)		71,157
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Assets		894,286
Repurchase agreements(1)		590,928
Senior Notes		81,077
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Other liabilities		16,804
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities		688,809
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net		205,477
Bargain purchase gain		28,175
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross		5,552
Arlington Asset Investment Corp. | Common Stock
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Other		$ 140,119
Business Acquisition, Share Price		$ 13.04
Arlington Asset Investment Corp. | Series D and Series E Preferred Stock
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Other		$ 31,631
Arlington Asset Investment Corp. | Series B Preferred Stock
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Share Price		$ 21.17
Arlington Asset Investment Corp. | Series C Preferred Stock
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Share Price		$ 24.65
Longbridge Financial LLC [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Other			$ 77,772
Other assets(1)			51,475
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Assets			7,810,449
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities			7,719,650
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net			88,562
Bargain purchase gain			7,932
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross			38,886
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Equity Interests Issued and Issuable			38,886
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value			20,368
Restricted cash			2,250
Investments in Loans			7,698,426
Loan commitments, at fair value			3,090
Mortgage servicing rights, at fair value			8,174
Real estate owned(1)(2)			8,511
Financial derivatives–assets, at fair value-			7,121
Due from brokers			7,534
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net			3,500
HMBS-related obligations, at fair value			7,448,524
Other Borrowings			218,261
Interest payable(1)			1,273
Accrued expenses and other liabilities(1)			51,592
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed Including Non-Controlling Interests, Net			90,799
Business Combination, Acquisition of Less than 100 Percent, Noncontrolling Interest, Fair Value			2,237
Deferred Tax Liability Related to Bargain Purchase Gain			2,858
Total Net Assets Acquired less Deferred Tax Liability			$ 85,704

[1] 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.

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