Better and Coinbase launched Bitcoin collateral loans, and the staked Bitcoin can be re-collateralized
According to CoinDesk, the Bitcoin mortgage product jointly launched by Better Mortgage and Coinbase has been fully launched last week. Borrowers can pledge Bitcoin at a 250% collateral rate to pay for the down payment on a home. For example, to purchase a $500,000 property, one would need to pledge $250,000 in Bitcoin to support a $100,000 down payment. Since the full launch, the pre-application loan scale has reached $360 million, higher than the previous estimated $260 million from the waiting list users.At closing, borrowers will receive two loans: one is a conventional mortgage secured by the property that meets Fannie Mae standards, and the other is a down payment loan secured by pledged Bitcoin and a subordinate lien on the property. Better disclosed that it may re-pledge the Bitcoin pledged by borrowers, as long as an equivalent amount of assets is retained for return. Borrowers cannot retrieve their crypto assets early and must wait until the conventional mortgage is fully repaid or refinanced to recover them, meaning Bitcoin may be locked for up to 15 to 30 years.Unlike typical crypto loans, a drop in Bitcoin prices will not trigger a margin call or automatic liquidation; liquidation of pledged assets may only occur 60 days after the borrower defaults. Coinbase only acts as a custodian and technology provider and does not participate in credit decisions. Currently, the product only supports Bitcoin collateral; both parties mentioned USDC when announced in March but ultimately chose to launch with BTC first.
