More lower-income households are using profits from crypto investing to secure mortgages, according to a report by research economists at the U.S. Treasury. In their findings, researchers Samuel Hughes, Francisco Ilabaca, Jacob Lockwood, and Kevin Zhao stated, “Crypto sales may have supported access to larger mortgages through bigger down payments.” They added, “The increase in borrowing is especially striking among low-income households in high crypto exposure areas.” The report revealed that the percentage of low-income households with mortgages in high crypto-exposed areas rose by over 250%. Additionally, the average mortgage balance in these areas increased significantly, climbing from approximately $172,000
