In a landmark move poised to transform the U.S. housing finance landscape, Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director William J. Pulte has mandated that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac begin preparations to include cryptocurrency holdings as valid assets in mortgage underwriting processes. This directive, announced on June 25, 2025, signals a potential paradigm shift allowing borrowers to leverage digital currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum when qualifying for home loans.
Pulte emphasized the alignment of this initiative with former President Donald Trump’s vision to position the United States as the global leader in cryptocurrency adoption. He stated on social media that the directive aims to enable crypto holders to purchase homes on equal footing with traditional asset owners, reflecting a broader effort to modernize and upgrade the housing finance system.
The FHFA’s instruction requires Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to develop internal risk assessment frameworks that account for the inherent volatility and market fluctuations of cryptocurrencies. Importantly, only crypto assets held on U.S.-based, regulated exchanges and verifiable through documentation will be considered eligible for mortgage qualification purposes. While this does not yet permit the use of cryptocurrencies as direct collateral, it marks the first official recognition of digital assets within federally backed mortgage risk evaluations.
This development follows regulatory easing earlier in the year, including the SEC’s rollback of accounting guidance that previously restricted crypto-backed financial products. The FHFA’s directive could significantly broaden access to homeownership for crypto-wealthy individuals who were previously excluded from conventional mortgage lending due to the unrecognized status of their digital assets.
The directive is effective immediately, although formal policy updates and operational integration by the government-sponsored enterprises are still forthcoming. The move is expected to influence the entire mortgage industry, potentially setting a precedent for wider acceptance of cryptocurrency in traditional finance sectors.
In summary, the FHFA’s order represents a historic step toward integrating cryptocurrencies into mainstream mortgage lending, reflecting evolving financial realities and regulatory openness in the United States.
