Opinion: Dr. Scott Leah
In the early 2000s, it was possible to get loans in the US without checking your income or assets. It was called a “Nordok” or “Roadok” loan. The aim was to support self-employed or contract workers, which was widely abused. Today, lenders are checking their income, assets, liabilities and employment.
Whether or not focused fraternity likes it, the financial world is changing. What once W-2 wage and tax forms, gatekeepers and credit files are now being rebuilt with transparency, autonomy and blockchain wallets.
For the first time, Washington is acknowledging that wealth is digital, not traditional. For over a century, the American Dream has been undertaken by one big dream: homeownership. Financial and psychological milestones show arrival, stability and upward mobility.
What happens when the very definition of wealth begins to evolve? What if your balance sheet is not only living in a bank, but also in a blockchain?
FHFA’s movement: policy shifts with cultural weight
Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recently announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Macs will begin to recognize Crypto Assets as part of their mortgage application assessment.
This subtle but historic move brings digital wealth officially into the traditional realm of housing financing, and in doing so redefine who is eligible for the American Dream.
Crypto didn’t knock on the door of America’s dreams. Crypto built a back door and entered. This new entry point for homeownership is that inflation and central banks are making what has enabled Pipe Reme.
Most headlines focus on the meaning for the time being. Crypto holders may no longer need liquid assets to qualify for a mortgage. But the deeper importance is philosophical. The system is no longer asking, “Is Crypto the real thing?” He admits that “crypto is wealth.”
In 2024, Redfin reported that 12% of home buyers plan to use Crypto from just 5% to just 5% in 2019.
This is not a hype. This is happening. The generation of home-built digital investors operate outside of the gatekeeper economy. They built their wealth without permission. Many people want to participate in real estate without traditional employment and now, all the most traditional assets.
The FHFA decision is more than regulations. It’s symbolic. It shows the transition from exclusion to integration.
Not just funds, but freedom
Critics are already holding the rails. They are concerned that recognizing unstable assets like Bitcoin in mortgage eligibility poses unnecessary risks.
However, cryptography enthusiasts know that volatility is not comparable to fraud and trumpet. Many defending the outdated credit model have forgotten that the 2008 financial crisis was caused by excessive leverage, synthetic debt and a complete lack of transparency, rather than a cryptographic.
Related: US regulators order Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage codes to be considered
All ciphers are about transparency. The balance of the wallet doesn’t lie. Smart contracts do not forge pay stubs. Decentralized finance is not perfect, but you don’t pretend that it’s not. That’s it before the shadow banking activity on Wall Street.
This is not just about finances. This is about freedom. It is to acknowledge that 21st century wealth doesn’t always come from Fiat’s savings or 401(k). Sometimes it comes as tokens, ledgers, or digital assets held by those who refuse to wait for traditional finance to verify them. Risk takers and revolutionaries can be pleased!
From the roof to the revolution
Innovation isn’t just the way people buy homes using code. It’s how people use their homes to buy codes. They are turning the traditional model over. Real estate was once a dream. Well, for some, it’s the launchpad.
Yes, it poses risk. No, no one needs to use their home as a Bitcoin acquisition engine. That’s why informed regulations are important. We need a smarter framework that respects innovation while protecting consumers.
The alternative is even worse. It is a financial system that is only useful for those who follow the outdated path of wealth creation. Centralized banks often resemble artefacts of the past, but some look to the inevitable.
New blueprints
This is a new blueprint for the American Dream. Ownership now includes physical and digital assets. Creditivity reflects on-chain transparency, not just on paper resumes. And the housing market must evolve with its people rather than oppose them. Cryptocurrency is not a threat to homeownership. It is the catalyst for reinvention.
No more gatekeepers are needed. We need more bridges. For millions of investors, innovators and digital natives, this new policy is where they are building and where they want to live now.
Location, location, location, online, distributed, transparent.
Crypto is more than just changing finance. It redefines the meaning of arriving.
Opinion: Dr. Scott Leah.
This article is for general informational purposes and is not intended to be considered legal or investment advice, and should not be done. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed here are the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect or express Cointregraph’s views and opinions.
