Rate has introduced RateFi, a new mortgage product that allows qualified borrowers to use verified cryptocurrency holdings for income and asset qualification without selling them. The program operates within Rate's digital mortgage platform and adheres to standard compliance measures. It aims to provide a practical path to homeownership for digital asset holders.
Rate, an independent mortgage bank, announced the launch of RateFi on February 23, 2026. This innovative product enables borrowers to leverage their cryptocurrency as part of the qualification process for mortgages, treating digital assets as legitimate financial resources. However, any cryptocurrency used for down payments or closing costs must still be converted to traditional currency.
Kate Amor, executive vice president and head of enterprise products at Rate, emphasized the significance of this development. "Digital assets are real assets, yet mortgage lending has treated them as invisible. RateFi changes that," she said. Amor further explained that the product applies "common sense underwriting to a modern financial reality, allowing qualified borrowers to use their crypto without selling it, without gimmicks, and without stepping outside established lending standards." She noted that RateFi marks the first phase of a broader digital asset lending strategy that the company intends to expand.
RateFi is designed to integrate seamlessly into Rate's existing digital mortgage platform, utilizing non-QM structures along with standard anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) verification processes. This ensures institutional-grade compliance while scaling operations. Shant Banosian, president of Rate, highlighted the practical focus of the initiative. "Crypto lending gets a lot of headlines," he said, "but this business is about closing loans consistently, compliantly, and at scale. RateFi runs within our existing platform, providing the underwriting, pricing, and operational support our loan officers rely on every day. It gives them another way to say yes to qualified borrowers without adding complexity."
According to Rate's research, holders of digital assets seek ways to utilize their wealth without facing liquidation or tax issues. Banosian added, "Digital assets represent real wealth. RateFi expands who our loan officers can help and strengthens our ability to serve today’s borrower, without adding friction to the process." The program positions Rate as a pioneer in accommodating cryptocurrency in mortgage lending, potentially broadening access to homeownership for tech-savvy investors.
