Crypto just got a seat at the mortgage table, but we built the house

This week’s announcement from the Federal Housing Finance Agency marks a major shift for crypto investors. For the first time, the FHFA is asking Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to explore how cryptocurrency holdings can be considered when qualifying a borrower for a mortgage.

This is a breakthrough for the digital asset community, but it’s also a validation of what we’ve been building at Milo since 2022.

For years, crypto holders were forced to sell their assets just to reflect cash in their accounts, often triggering capital gains and walking away from long-term upside. We believed there was a smarter way forward. That belief led us to create the first crypto mortgage product of its kind, one that allows qualified borrowers to purchase real estate using their crypto without being penalized for owning it.

The gap between policy and practice

The FHFA announcement signals intent, but implementation is still in development. Based on how stocks and bonds are treated in mortgage underwriting, it’s likely that crypto will only count if held on centralized, regulated exchanges. Documentation will probably be required through third-party statements, and the assets may only be eligible as reserves, not as active collateral.

That’s progress, especially for first-time buyers who have been forced to liquidate just to meet traditional lending criteria. But as of today, this is still just a proposal. There’s no clear timeline for when it will be adopted or how broadly it will apply.

At Milo, we’re not waiting for guidelines to change. We’ve already built a better way.

What we offer today

Since launching our crypto mortgage product in 2022, we’ve helped clients close over $65 million in home purchases using their digital assets. The foundation of our approach is simple: recognize crypto for what it is: real, usable wealth.

We offer two paths for crypto investors:

• Our 100% financing program allows clients to purchase a home without a down payment by using Bitcoin or Ethereum held in custody with BitGo or Coinbase. These are regulated, third-party custodians that protect client assets and eliminate exposure to company-related risk.
• Our self-custody option gives clients the flexibility to use their crypto as collateral while holding it in their own wallets. This option requires a traditional cash down payment, but it still helps reduce the amount of liquidity needed to complete the transaction.

Both options are designed for crypto investors who want to retain ownership of their assets, avoid unnecessary tax events, and grow wealth across both digital and real-world portfolios.

What you can do now vs. What’s coming later

The next evolution in home financing

Crypto isn’t just an asset class. For many, it represents a major part of their net worth. And while traditional lenders are still figuring out how to assess it, we’ve already done the work.

Unlike traditional assets, crypto ownership can’t always be verified through a brokerage statement. Many investors use self-custody wallets that don’t come with monthly documentation. That’s why our technology, processes, and risk models are designed to understand and support both custody types, because that’s how real crypto holders manage their assets.

This is more than a product. It’s an infrastructure built for the digital age, where assets are mobile, decentralized, and borderless. And we believe it has the potential to reshape how lenders think about wealth and credit.

The future Is already here

The FHFA announcement marks an important step toward inclusion. Recognizing crypto as a financial asset in the mortgage process can help unlock homeownership for a growing number of investors. But the reality is, you don’t have to wait.

With Milo, you can qualify for a mortgage using your crypto today. Whether you choose to keep your assets in self-custody or work with a trusted custodian like BitGo or Coinbase, we’ve built the tools to help you access financing without compromise.

We didn’t build this product because policy said we could. We built it because our clients needed it. Now the rest of the industry is catching up.

And we’re just getting started.

The opinions expressed in the Blog are for general informational purposes only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security or investment product.