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Analyst Report: American Tower Corp.
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Tag: mortgage
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Rate launches RateFi for borrowers using cryptocurrency – Houston Agent Magazine
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Rate has introduced RateFi, a new mortgage product that allows qualified borrowers to use verified cryptocurrency as part of their income and asset qualification without requiring liquidation. Assets used for down payments or closing costs, however, must be converted.
RateFi charts a new path to homeownership for crypto-forward borrowers and is fully built, priced and operational within Rate’s digital mortgage platform.
“Digital assets are real assets, yet mortgage lending has treated them as invisible. RateFi changes that,” said Kate Amor, executive vice president and head of enterprise products at Rate. “We built this product to apply common sense underwriting to a modern financial reality, allowing qualified borrowers to use their crypto without selling it, without gimmicks, and without stepping outside established lending standards. RateFi represents the first phase of a broader digital asset lending strategy the company plans to expand over time.”
According to the company, RateFi is among the earliest institutional-grade mortgage programs offered by an independent mortgage bank and is designed to scale. The program operates within existing non-QM structures and applies standard AML and KYC verification processes, ensuring institutional-grade compliance.
“Crypto lending gets a lot of headlines,” said Shant Banosian, president of Rate. “But this business is about closing loans consistently, compliantly, and at scale. RateFi runs within our existing platform, providing the underwriting, pricing, and operational support our loan officers rely on every day. It gives them another way to say yes to qualified borrowers without adding complexity.”
Research from Rate indicates that digital asset holders are looking for practical ways to leverage existing wealth without triggering liquidation or unnecessary tax consequences.
“Digital assets represent real wealth,” Banosian added. “RateFi expands who our loan officers can help and strengthens our ability to serve today’s borrower, without adding friction to the process.”
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Jacqui Mueller
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Stocks Settle Slightly Higher as Bond Yields Fall
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The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) on Friday closed up +0.05%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) closed up +0.10%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) closed up +0.18%. March E-mini S&P futures (ESH26) rose +0.03%, and March E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQH26) rose +0.14%.
Stock indexes recovered from early losses on Friday and settled higher. Falling bond yields were bullish for stocks on Friday after US January consumer prices rose less than expected, which may prompt the Fed to keep cutting interest rates. The 10-year T-note yield fell to a 2.25-month low of 4.05% on the tame inflation news.
Also, a recovery in software stocks was supportive of the overall market. However, metal companies retreated on reports that the Trump administration is working to narrow its tariffs on steel and aluminum products.
Stocks initially moved lower today, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 posting 1-week lows. Worries over AI weighed on stocks and dampened market sentiment. Concerns have surfaced that the latest tools released by Google, Anthropic, and other AI startups are already good enough to disrupt many sectors of the economy, including finance, logistics, software, and trucking.
US Jan CPI rose +2.4% y/y, weaker than expectations of +2.5% y/y and the smallest pace of increase in 7 months. Jan core CPI rose +2.5% y/y, right on expectations and the smallest pace of increase in 4.75 years.
Q4 earnings season is in full swing, as more than two-thirds of the S&P 500 companies have reported earnings results. Earnings have been a positive factor for stocks, with 76% of the 371 S&P 500 companies that have reported beating expectations. According to Bloomberg Intelligence, S&P earnings growth is expected to climb by +8.4% in Q4, marking the tenth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth. Excluding the Magnificent Seven megacap technology stocks, Q4 earnings are expected to increase by +4.6%.
The markets are discounting a 10% chance for a -25 bp rate cut at the next policy meeting on March 17-18.
Overseas stock markets settled lower on Friday. The Euro Stoxx 50 closed down by -0.43%. China’s Shanghai Composite closed down -1.26%. Japan’s Nikkei Stock 225 fell closed down -1.21%.
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Fed holds interest rates steady – Houston Agent Magazine
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The Federal Reserve left interest rates untouched at its Open Market Committee meeting on Wednesday, the first time it hasn’t cut them since July.
In a statement after the meeting, the 12-member body said that while economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace, job growth has remained low, and inflation is “somewhat elevated.”
Two members appointed by President Trump — Stephen Miran and Christopher Waller — voted against the decision to leave the target range for the federal funds rate at 3.5% to 3.75% because they wanted another cut, while the rest voted in favor of it.
The Fed has a dual mandate to achieve maximum employment and keep inflation below 2%.
“Uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated,” the Fed said. “The Committee is attentive to the risks to both sides of its dual mandate.”
The Fed began cutting rates in September after the nation’s economic outlook began to soften. The housing industry has been eager for more cuts to help improve affordability, which has stymied the pace of home sales over the last couple years. Observers expect the Fed to cut rates at least 0.25% this year.
“While the Federal Reserve is maintaining interest rates in order to try to bring inflation levels closer to its target, uncertainties surrounding the economy remain elevated,” Cotality Chief Economist Selma Hepp said. “The job market remains a sticking point, even though the economy as a whole remains on solid ground. With tariffs continuing to impact pricing on so many consumer products, pressure will remain to find stronger solutions that would help lower the cost of everyday items for families.”
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John Yellig
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