Newrez, a prominent US mortgage lender, will begin accepting cryptocurrency assets for mortgage qualification starting February 2026. This initiative allows borrowers to use Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD-pegged stablecoins, and spot crypto ETFs to verify assets and estimate income for loan applications. The program is part of Newrez's Smart Series product suite, targeting borrowers outside standard government-backed lending guidelines. The move reflects Newrez's adaptation to the growing integration of digital finance with traditional markets, particularly appealing to Gen Z and Millennial investors, 45% of whom reportedly own cryptocurrency. Borrowers can qualify without liquidating their digital assets, avoiding taxable events. However, all eligible crypto assets must be held by US-regulated entities, excluding self-custody wallets and DeFi protocols. This development aligns with a broader regulatory shift, as the Federal Housing Finance Agency recently directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to consider cryptocurrency in mortgage risk modeling, marking a significant policy evolution under the Trump administration.