Borrowings (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2024 USD ($) counterparty Rate	Mar. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2023 USD ($) counterparty Rate
Borrowings [Line Items]
Total secured borrowings		$ 12,900,000		$ 13,100,000
Number of Counterparties with Outstanding Reverse Repurchase Agreements | counterparty		25		26
Securities Collateral relating to Reverse Repurchase Agreements		$ 3,100,000		$ 3,700,000
Collateral on repurchase agreements, unsettled sales		$ 8,500		346,600
Repurchase Agreements amount at risk threshold		10.00%
Other secured borrowings(1)	[1]	$ 180,918		245,827
Other secured borrowings, at fair value(1)	[1]	1,569,149		1,424,668
HMBS-related obligations, at fair value		8,619,463		8,423,235
Arlington Asset Investment Corp.
Borrowings [Line Items]
Collateral on repurchase agreements, unsettled sales				341,100
Secured borrowing facility collateralized by ABS backed by consumer loans [Member]
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings(1)		$ 19,700		$ 25,800
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate		9.95%		9.83%
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		$ 67,100		$ 69,800
Non-QM loan securitization
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings, at fair value(1)		$ 1,410,000		$ 1,420,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate		3.04%		3.03%
Warehouse facility A
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings(1)		$ 52,407		$ 83,393
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate | Rate		8.77%		8.95%
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		$ 61,670		$ 99,340
Secured borrowing facility collateralized by HECM tail draws
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings(1)		$ 17,500		$ 18,700
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate		9.00%		9.00%
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		$ 28,600		$ 29,200
Secured borrowing facility collateralized by MSRs
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings(1)		$ 20,400		$ 26,600
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate		10.44%		10.46%
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		$ 94,400		$ 88,400
GNMA HMBS
Borrowings [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate		6.23%		6.46%
HMBS-related obligations, at fair value		$ 8,600,000		$ 8,400,000
MLPS Counterparty
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings(1)		$ 14,800		$ 14,700
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate		7.68%		7.59%
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		$ 14,900		$ 14,900
Reverse Loan Securitization
Borrowings [Line Items]
Other secured borrowings, at fair value(1)		$ 162,500
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Rate		4.50%
Minimum
Borrowings [Line Items]
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Maturity		30 days
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		1 day	2 days
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		4.81%		4.81%
Maximum
Borrowings [Line Items]
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Maturity		364 days
Repurchase agreements, remaining days to maturity		422 days	513 days
Repurchase Agreements Interest Rate		8.85%		8.68%
Repurchase Agreements
Borrowings [Line Items]
Securities Collateral relating to Reverse Repurchase Agreements		$ 2,348,374		$ 2,822,912
Cash collateral posted for securities sold under agreements to repurchase		2,200		(11,200)
Securities Collateral Posted for Securities Sold Under Agreements to Repurchase		400
Securitized residential mortgage loans
Borrowings [Line Items]
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		1,500,000		1,600,000
HECM loans | GNMA HMBS
Borrowings [Line Items]
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		8,700,000		8,500,000
Securitized Reverse Mortgage Loans
Borrowings [Line Items]
Fair Value of Assets Transfered and Accounted for as Secured Borrowings		184,200		$ 4,700
5.875% Senior Notes | Unsecured Borrowings
Borrowings [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		$ 210,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		5.875%
Redemption percentage		100.00%
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date		Apr. 01, 2027
6.75% Senior Notes | Unsecured Borrowings
Borrowings [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		$ 34,900
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		6.75%
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date		Mar. 15, 2025
6.00% Senior Notes | Unsecured Borrowings
Borrowings [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		$ 37,800
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		6.00%
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date		Aug. 01, 2026
Trusted Preferred Debt | Unsecured Borrowings
Borrowings [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		$ 15,000
Trusted Preferred Debt | Unsecured Borrowings | Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) Overnight Index Swap Rate | October 7, 2033
Borrowings [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		$ 10,000
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date		Oct. 07, 2033
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate		3.26%
Trusted Preferred Debt | Unsecured Borrowings | Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) Overnight Index Swap Rate | July 5, 2035
Borrowings [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		$ 5,000
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date		Jul. 07, 2035
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate		2.51%

[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.