Skip to content
On Wednesday 25th of June, the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced that they are working to allow borrowers to include crypto holdings as a federal mortgage asset single-family mortgage loan risk assessments without converting it to cash. The directive, instigated by the Trump administration and signed by FHFA Director William J. Pulte, marks a monumental shift towards integrating cryptocurrency into traditional financial infrastructure, aligned with Donald Trump’s pledge to make the U.S. “the crypto capital of the world”. Specifically, it orders mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to propose frameworks that allow borrowers to include crypto holdings as a federal mortgage asset without requiring them to liquidate before applying for a loan.
In this article, we explore what a crypto-backed mortgage is, how ForumPay already supports real estate purchases using crypto holdings, and the opportunities this order presents for homebuyers and lenders.
What is a crypto-backed mortgage?
A crypto-backed mortgage allows homebuyers to leverage their crypto assets either as collateral or as part of their financial profile when applying for a loan. Traditionally, only niche fintech lenders, such as Milo and Figure have offered crypto-collateral mortgages, where borrowers pledge their digital assets (typically bitcoin or stablecoins) against the loan. These loans bypass standard income verification or credit score requirements, making them attractive to high-net-worth crypto holders and international buyers. But they also come with significant risks, including margin calls if the value of their crypto drops sharply.
Now, federal regulators are opening the door to mainstream lenders to factor in crypto holdings as a federal mortgage asset as part of loan assessments. In June 2025, the Federal Housing Finance Agency ordered Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to begin recognizing cryptocurrency held on U.S.-regulated exchanges as part of a borrower’s liquid assets. This will not replace traditional underwriting, but it will allow verified crypto holdings to count toward reserve and down payment requirements, using discounted valuations to account for volatility. It marks the first major step toward officially integrating digital assets into conventional, federally backed home loans, making crypto a more formal part of the U.S. housing finance system.
Crypto gains utility and legitimacy
The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s request to include crypto holdings as a federal mortgage asset represents another step in a broader shift in digital asset perception. Cryptocurrency has successfully moved out of the realm of speculative investment and into the world of versatile, real-world and practical assets. The FHFA’s order is another welcome indication that cryptocurrency is a legitimate component of personal wealth, one that should be taken into consideration by official bodies and regulators.
By allowing cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ether, and USDC to count toward reserve and down payment requirements, federal housing authorities are granting crypto a new level of financial utility within a traditionally conservative system. It will give crypto holders a practical way to deploy their assets in real-world transactions without converting to fiat, while also embedding digital assets more deeply into the regulatory and financial mainstream.
ForumPay ahead of the game in crypto payments for real estate
ForumPay is an expert in facilitating crypto transactions between homebuyers and sellers, as well as the title and escrow company involved in the closing. ForumPay has partnerships with a number of title and escrow companies in the United States, enabling us to help both businesses and individuals purchase real estate using crypto directly from their wallet. Traditionally, buyers are required to season funds in a bank account, which can delay the buying process and interrupt a sale, but with ForumPay, funds are authenticated directly within the buyer’s wallet of choice, earning us a Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac seal of approval.
The fully transparent transaction process can be tracked in real time across the blockchain. Both buyer and seller also see in advance exactly how much they will respectively pay (in crypto) and receive (in dollars). Because ForumPay’s wallet-agnostic solution locks in the exchange rate the instant the buyer hits “Send”, neither side is exposed to crypto volatility. Funds are converted to fiat in seconds and settled in the escrow account overnight, allowing contracts to move from signed offer to funded closing in as little as 48 hours. Even cross-border purchases benefit, as buyers can sign from abroad, send funds directly from any wallet, and watch their digital assets transfer on-chain in real time.
Opportunities for homebuyers and lenders
This policy shift to include crypto holdings as a federal mortgage asset opens up a world of opportunities for buyers and lenders. For homebuyers, including international buyers, being able to use their crypto holdings as part of a federally-compliant mortgage file eliminates the need to liquidate holdings prematurely or delay purchases due to traditional banking hurdles. For lenders, the integration of crypto opens a valuable new asset class and can expand the pool of potential buyers. By recognizing stable, documented crypto holdings, lenders can serve a high-net-worth demographic open to larger purchases, while still adhering to FHFA guidelines and risk-based assessments.
The order instructs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to file detailed crypto-integration plans “as soon as reasonably practical”, after which FHFA will vet the proposals, open a short comment period and publish Selling Guide updates. Rollouts of this size historically take between nine and twelve months to take effect, and market analysts warn that “immediate changes are unlikely”, making late 2026 the most probable window for loan applications that take crypto holdings into consideration. When the switch finally flips, eligible cryptocurrencies will include those that can be “evidenced and stored on a U.S.-regulated centralized exchange”, according to Pulte’s letter, meaning blue-chip assets such as Bitcoin, Ether and fully KYC-traceable stablecoins like USDC.
For more on crypto trends, to find out more about crypto payments with ForumPay, or to speak to a member of the team, visit www.forumpay.com.
