Is a zero down mortgage right for you?

What if you could buy a home with no cash down and keep your bitcoin or ether invested. That is exactly what a crypto mortgage offers. You pledge crypto equal to the home’s price and the lender finances 100 percent of the purchase. Your coins are held as collateral while you make a standard monthly mortgage payment in fiat. When the loan is repaid, your crypto is released and you keep any appreciation that accrued along the way.

A quick reality check helps frame the choice. Traditional mortgages, even with the most flexible programs, usually cap at about 95 LTV. On a $1,000,000 dollar home, that still means a $50,000 dollar down payment plus closing costs. A crypto mortgage works at a 1 to 1 ratio for 100 percent financing, so your purchase power maps directly to your pledged crypto. Milo is presently the only lender offering 30-year crypto financing for real estate in the United States.

What is a crypto mortgage?

A crypto mortgage is a mortgage backed by crypto assets that lets you bypass a cash down payment by pledging bitcoin or ether equal to the home’s price as collateral. You pledge at a 1 to 1 ratio, the lender finances 100 percent of the purchase, and you make a standard monthly payment in dollars for principal and interest, plus property taxes, insurance, and any HOA dues. Closing costs still apply. Your pledged crypto is held securely and returned when the loan is repaid and terms are met. In Milo’s program, margin calls generally occur only after a severe market drop of about 69 percent, though the exact trigger can vary by loan specifics. The collateral acts as a buffer for the home, but success still hinges on one thing: your ability to support the monthly payment in fiat without routinely selling crypto.

Two clarifications keep expectations clean:

• Using crypto as reserves is not the same thing. Reserves strengthen an application but still require a down payment.
• A crypto mortgage creates a true zero down because the pledge covers the entire purchase price. You bypass selling, which helps you avoid triggering capital gains at closing.

The crypto mortgage structure helps in two ways. First, it lets you keep market exposure while owning property. Second, the collateral serves as an additional layer of protection for the home. If a temporary setback hits, the crypto pledge can give you time to cure before the lender considers more serious remedies.

Benefits of a crypto mortgage

Enter the market sooner. You avoid years of saving for a down payment. That matters in markets where prices and rents move faster than cash savings.

Keep upside potential. If you believe in long-term bitcoin or ether appreciation, you can hold your position while adding a real asset.

Manage taxes at purchase. You are not forced to sell coins to raise a down payment. That can help you avoid a capital gains bill at closing.

Preserve liquidity. Skipping a down payment keeps cash free for repairs, moving costs, furnishings, or business needs. A cash cushion also reduces stress during transitions.

Protect the property. The crypto pledge is a secondary buffer. If a short-term problem arises, adding collateral or catching up on payments can keep the loan on track.

Can you afford 100% financing?

This is the question that decides success. Your wealth may be in crypto, but your mortgage is paid in fiat. Center your decision around the monthly number and the cash that will support it.

Start with the full payment, not just the rate. Add principal, interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and HOA dues where applicable. Small changes in taxes or insurance can shift the monthly bill more than you expect. If the payment is tight today, a reassessment or premium change can strain the plan later.

Evaluate the payment against reliable cash flow. For some borrowers that is salary. For others it is retirement distributions, portfolio income, or business cash flow. If your income varies, look at conservative averages and add a reserve that covers several months of housing costs.

Be honest about lifestyle changes. Crypto gains often lead people to upgrade where they live, how they travel, or what they drive. Those choices raise monthly fiat costs. Make sure your new payment fits alongside the life you actually want to live, ideally without selling crypto to cover routine expenses.

Run a simple sensitivity check. What happens if rates rise at renewal, taxes increase after purchase, or a repair lands in an expensive month. If those scenarios crowd out your budget, scale back the home price or choose a partial down payment to bring the monthly number into a comfortable range.

Is a crypto mortgage right for you?

A crypto mortgage can work for traditional and non-traditional borrowers. What matters is the plan to support the payment in fiat and to manage the pledged position prudently.

• Start with what you can carry each month. That can be wages, pension payments, retirement distributions, portfolio income, or steady business cash flow. If income fluctuates, use conservative averages and hold a reserve that covers several months of housing costs.
• Keep a fiat cushion separate from your pledge. Repairs, reassessments, or insurance changes happen. A cash buffer lets you handle them without selling crypto.
• Do not pledge everything. Leave part of your stack unpledged or keep liquid non-crypto reserves so you have options if prices move quickly or if a margin call arrives at a bad time.

Match the tool to your goal. If you want to live in the home or hold an income property while keeping bitcoin or ether exposure, the crypto mortgage can convert appreciation into housing without a sale. If your priority is the lowest possible payment, consider adding a modest down payment alongside the pledge to bring the number down while still leveraging crypto.

Can you afford 100% financing?

This is the key question. Your wealth may be in crypto, but the payment is in dollars. Price the full monthly number, not just the rate. Include principal, interest, property taxes, insurance, and HOA if applicable. Compare that figure to reliable inflows and ask whether you can cover it comfortably through ordinary bumps like a tax reassessment or a higher insurance premium.

If the answer is tight, you have levers. Choose a smaller purchase price. Add a partial down payment to reduce the bill. Select a fixed-rate period that matches your horizon. The objective is a monthly number you can support in fiat without routinely selling crypto.

Consolidated takeaway

A crypto mortgage lets you buy property with 100 percent financing while keeping your crypto invested. You pledge coins, the lender finances the home, and you pay a normal mortgage in dollars. It solves cash to close. It does not solve monthly affordability.

Make the payment your anchor. Confirm your fiat income and reserves can carry that number through ordinary bumps like insurance changes or a new roof. Keep some assets unpledged so a market move does not dictate your choices. If the monthly figure feels tight, bring a modest down payment alongside the crypto pledge to lower the payment while still leveraging your holdings.

Used thoughtfully, 100 percent financing backed by a crypto mortgage can turn digital wealth into the place you live or the income property you want, without forcing a sale at the front door.

Bottom line Start with the payment. If the all-in monthly bill fits your fiat income and reserves, a crypto mortgage can be a powerful way to buy without a cash down payment. You pledge bitcoin or ether equal to the home’s price as collateral, the lender finances 100 percent of the purchase, and you keep your market exposure while you pay the mortgage in dollars.

Success comes from sizing the home to your cash flow and keeping a cushion. Hold some assets unpledged so a price swing does not dictate your choices. Used thoughtfully, a crypto mortgage turns digital wealth into a place to live or an income property, without forcing a sale at the front door. Keep the focus on the number you will pay each month, and build everything else around that.

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.