US Mortgage Giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Now Accept Crypto Reserves as Eligible Assets

The US Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to recognize cryptocurrency holdings as eligible assets when assessing risk on single-family mortgage loans. The policy shift, effective immediately, marks a significant step toward institutional adoption of digital assets in traditional finance.

FHFA Director Willian J. Pulte's directive requires the government-sponsored enterprises to develop plans for incorporating borrower crypto reserves without mandatory conversion to dollars. Strict safeguards mandate that only assets held on US-regulated centralized exchanges qualify for recognition.

The order imposes rigorous risk controls, including volatility-adjusted reserve ratios and board-level oversight. Each enterprise must secure internal approval before submitting final proposals to FHFA conservators. As dominant players in the US mortgage market, Fannie and Freddie's updated risk models could influence broader financial sector acceptance of crypto collateral.