According to a report by research economists at the US Treasury, a growing number of low-income households are using the proceeds from crypto investments to apply for mortgages. Among low-income households, "cryptocurrency sales may support access to larger mortgages through larger down payments," the report said. In a report released Nov. 26 by the Treasury's Office of Financial Research, researchers Samuel Hughes, Francisco Ilabaca, Jacob Lockwood, and Kevin Zhao wrote. "The increase in borrowing was particularly pronounced among low-income households with high cryptocurrency exposure," they added. The report noted that in areas with high cryptocurrency exposure, the share of mortgages in low-income households increased by more than 250 percent, with the average mortgage balance rising from about $172,000 in 2020 to about $443,000 in 2024.