XRP News Today: FHFA Allows Cryptocurrencies in Mortgage Evaluations

In a significant development for the cryptocurrency industry, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has issued a directive that allows mortgage liquidity providers to consider cryptocurrencies as part of a borrower’s asset portfolio during mortgage evaluations. This move marks a major shift in how digital assets are viewed within the traditional financial system.

Under the new directive, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been instructed to prepare proposals that permit homebuyers to include cryptocurrency holdings held on US-regulated exchanges as part of their asset reserves for mortgage applications. This change eliminates the previous requirement for cryptocurrencies to be converted into U.S. dollars before being considered in mortgage risk assessments.

FHFA Director Bill Pulte emphasized the importance of this policy shift, which aligns with Donald Trump’s vision to establish the United States as a global leader in cryptocurrency. Pulte, who took office as the 5th Director of the FHFA in March 2025, is playing a key role in implementing this vision. The directive also mandates that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac factor in market volatility and enforce strong risk-based adjustments before implementing the new assessment method.

Bitcoin is expected to be the primary beneficiary of this policy update. As the largest and most widely held cryptocurrency, Bitcoin is often referred to as digital gold and is a natural candidate for institutional recognition. Its established presence on U.S.-regulated exchanges and deep liquidity profile through Spot Bitcoin ETFs make it a strong contender for inclusion under the new directive.

However, the decision raises questions about the inclusion of other cryptocurrencies, particularly XRP. XRP has had a complex regulatory history in the U.S., notably with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Despite recent legal clarity allowing XRP to resume trading on major U.S.-based exchanges, it remains uncertain whether Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will quickly include it under the new directive. The FHFA’s directive does not specify eligible tokens, referring only to cryptocurrencies held on US-regulated exchanges. This broad definition could potentially include XRP and other cryptocurrencies like Ethereum alongside Bitcoin.

Other countries have already integrated XRP into their real estate markets. For example, Japan’s Open House Group allows XRP payments for property purchases in cities like Tokyo and Osaka. Dubai is also utilizing the XRP Ledger to tokenize real estate, demonstrating the global acceptance of XRP in the real estate sector. This international trend could influence the U.S. regulatory landscape, potentially leading to the inclusion of XRP in mortgage evaluations.