Mortgage-Backed and Credit Risk Transfer Securities | Mortgage-Backed and Credit Risk Transfer Securities During the first half of 2020, we experienced unprecedented market conditions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and sold a substantial portion of our MBS and GSE CRT portfolio to generate liquidity and reduce leverage. We resumed investing in Agency RMBS in July 2020. The following tables summarize our MBS portfolio by asset type at December 31, 2021 and 2020. December 31, 2021 $ in thousands Principal/ Notional Unamortized Amortized Unrealized Fair Period- (1) Agency RMBS: 30 year fixed-rate 7,514,229 246,183 7,760,412 (58,889) 7,701,523 2.07 % Total Agency RMBS pass-through 7,514,229 246,183 7,760,412 (58,889) 7,701,523 2.07 % Agency-CMO (2) 235,216 (203,180) 32,036 (1,279) 30,757 6.47 % Non-Agency CMBS 61,427 (3,096) 58,331 4,578 62,909 8.63 % Non-Agency RMBS (3)(4)(5) 392,543 (383,591) 8,952 118 9,070 5.26 % Total 8,203,415 (343,684) 7,859,731 (55,472) 7,804,259 2.14 % (1) Period-end weighted average yield is based on amortized cost as of December 31, 2021 and incorporates future prepayment and loss assumptions. (2) All Agency collateralized mortgage obligation (“Agency-CMO”) are interest-only securities (“Agency IO”). (3) Non-Agency RMBS is 35.6% variable rate, 63.5% fixed rate and 0.9% floating rate based on fair value. Coupon payments on variable rate investments are based upon changes in the underlying Hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (“ARM”) loan coupons, while coupon payments on floating rate investments are based upon a spread to a reference index. (4) Of the total discount in non-Agency RMBS, $2.1 million is non-accretable calculated using the principal/notional balance and based on estimated future cash flows of the securities. (5) Non-Agency RMBS includes interest-only securities (“non-Agency IO”) which represent 97.7% of principal/notional balance, 44.8% of amortized cost and 19.9% of fair value. December 31, 2020 $ in thousands Principal/ Notional Unamortized Amortized Allowance for Credit Losses Unrealized Fair Value Period- end Weighted Average Yield (1) Agency RMBS: 30 year fixed-rate 7,635,107 391,644 8,026,751 — 24,115 8,050,866 1.86 % Total Agency RMBS pass-through 7,635,107 391,644 8,026,751 — 24,115 8,050,866 1.86 % Agency-CMO (2) 19,634 (19,634) — — — — — % Non-Agency CMBS 112,549 (5,791) 106,758 (1,768) 4,593 109,583 9.40 % Non-Agency RMBS (3)(4)(5) 790,627 (779,660) 10,967 — 766 11,733 7.83 % Total 8,557,917 (413,441) 8,144,476 (1,768) 29,474 8,172,182 1.97 % (1) Period-end weighted average yield is based on amortized cost as of December 31, 2020 and incorporates future prepayment and loss assumptions. (2) All Agency-CMO are interest-only securities Agency IO. (3) Non-Agency RMBS is 31.8% variable rate, 67.3% fixed rate and 0.9% floating rate based on fair value. Coupon payments on variable rate investments are based upon changes in the underlying Hybrid ARM loan coupons, while coupon payments on floating rate investments are based upon a spread to a reference index. (4) Of the total discount in non-Agency RMBS, $2.1 million is non-accretable calculated using the principal/notional balance and based on estimated future cash flows of the securities. (5) Non-Agency RMBS includes non-Agency IO which represent 98.8% of principal/notional balance, 49.3% of amortized cost and 41.5% of fair value. The following table presents the fair value of our available-for-sale securities and securities accounted for under the fair value option by asset type as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020. We have elected the fair value option for all of our RMBS interest-only securities and our MBS purchased on or after September 1, 2016. As of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, approximately 99% of our MBS are accounted for under the fair value option. December 31, 2021 December 31, 2020 $ in thousands Available-for-sale Securities Securities under Fair Value Option Total Available-for-sale Securities Securities under Fair Value Option Total Agency RMBS: 30 year fixed-rate — 7,701,523 7,701,523 — 8,050,866 8,050,866 Total Agency RMBS pass-through — 7,701,523 7,701,523 — 8,050,866 8,050,866 Agency-CMO — 30,757 30,757 — — — Non-Agency CMBS 62,909 — 62,909 109,583 — 109,583 Non-Agency RMBS 7,288 1,782 9,070 7,267 4,466 11,733 Total 70,197 7,734,062 7,804,259 116,850 8,055,332 8,172,182 The components of the carrying value of our MBS portfolio at December 31, 2021 and 2020 are presented below. December 31, 2021 December 31, 2020 $ in thousands MBS Interest-Only Securities Total MBS Interest-Only Securities Total Principal/notional balance 7,584,812 618,603 8,203,415 7,757,491 800,426 8,557,917 Unamortized premium 250,771 — 250,771 391,644 — 391,644 Unamortized discount (11,902) (582,553) (594,455) (10,067) (795,018) (805,085) Allowance for credit losses — — — (1,768) — (1,768) Gross unrealized gains (1) 8,754 109 8,863 34,539 103 34,642 Gross unrealized losses (1) (60,741) (3,594) (64,335) (4,527) (641) (5,168) Fair value 7,771,694 32,565 7,804,259 8,167,312 4,870 8,172,182 (1) Gross unrealized gains and losses includes gains (losses) recognized in net income for securities accounted for under the fair value option as well as gains (losses) for available-for-sale securities which are recognized as adjustments to other comprehensive income. Realization occurs upon sale or settlement of such securities. Further detail on the components of our total gains (losses) on investments, net for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 is provided below within this Note 4. The following table summarizes our MBS portfolio according to estimated weighted average life classifications as of December 31, 2021 and 2020. $ in thousands December 31, 2021 December 31, 2020 Less than one year 23,150 22,112 Greater than one year and less than five years 891,510 5,303,917 Greater than or equal to five years 6,889,599 2,846,153 Total 7,804,259 8,172,182 The following tables present the estimated fair value and gross unrealized losses of our MBS by length of time that such securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position at December 31, 2021 and 2020. December 31, 2021 Less than 12 Months 12 Months or More Total $ in thousands Fair Unrealized Number of Securities Fair Unrealized Number of Securities Fair Unrealized Number of Securities Agency RMBS: 30 year fixed-rate 6,838,999 (60,741) 54 — — — 6,838,999 (60,741) 54 Total Agency RMBS pass-through (1) 6,838,999 (60,741) 54 — — — 6,838,999 (60,741) 54 Agency-CMO (1) 21,810 (1,389) 5 — — — 21,810 (1,389) 5 Non-Agency RMBS (2) 767 (1,132) 5 1,042 (1,073) 9 1,809 (2,205) 14 Total 6,861,576 (63,262) 64 1,042 (1,073) 9 6,862,618 (64,335) 73 (1) Fair value option has been elected for all Agency securities in an unrealized loss position. (2) Includes non-Agency IO with fair value of $1.7 million for which the fair value option has been elected. Such securities have unrealized losses of $2.1 million. The remaining $136,000 of unrealized losses on non-Agency RMBS are included in accumulated other comprehensive income. These losses are not reflected in an allowance for credit losses based on a comparison of discounted expected cash flows to current amortized cost basis. December 31, 2020 Less than 12 Months 12 Months or More Total $ in thousands Fair Unrealized Number of Securities Fair Unrealized Number of Securities Fair Unrealized Number of Securities Agency RMBS: 30 year fixed-rate 1,496,279 (4,108) 20 — — — 1,496,279 (4,108) 20 Total Agency RMBS pass-through (1) 1,496,279 (4,108) 20 — — — 1,496,279 (4,108) 20 Non-Agency CMBS (2) 27,069 (419) 1 — — — 27,069 (419) 1 Non-Agency RMBS (3) 2,681 (438) 6 1,612 (203) 7 4,293 (641) 13 Total 1,526,029 (4,965) 27 1,612 (203) 7 1,527,641 (5,168) 34 (1) Fair value option has been elected for all Agency RMBS in an unrealized loss position. (2) Unrealized losses on non-Agency CMBS are included in accumulated other comprehensive income. These losses are not reflected in an allowance for credit losses based on a comparison of discounted expected cash flows to current amortized cost basis. (3) Fair value option has been elected for all non-Agency RMBS in an unrealized loss position. On January 1, 2020, we adopted accounting guidance that requires us to estimate an allowance for credit losses on available-for-sale securities in unrealized loss positions. As of December 31, 2020, we had recorded an allowance for credit losses of $1.8 million on a single non-Agency CMBS on our consolidated balance sheet. We recorded a $1.8 million decrease in the provision for credit losses on our consolidated statement of operations during the year ended December 31, 2021. As of December 31, 2021, we do not have an allowance for credit losses recorded on our consolidated balance sheet. During the year ended December 31, 2020, we recorded impairments of $94.1 million on our consolidated statement of operations because we intended to sell or more likely than not would be required to sell the securities before recovery of amortized cost basis. The following table presents a roll-forward of our allowance for credit losses. $ in thousands Years Ended December 31, 2021 2020 Beginning allowance for credit losses (1,768) — Additions to the allowance for credit losses on securities for which credit losses were not previously recorded — (1,768) Additional increases or decreases in the allowance for credit losses on securities that had an allowance recorded in a previous period 1,768 — Ending allowance for credit losses — (1,768) Before January 1, 2020, we assessed our investment securities for other-than-temporary impairment (“OTTI”) on a quarterly basis. When the fair value of an investment was less than its amortized cost at the balance sheet date of the reporting period for which impairment is assessed, the impairment is designated as either “temporary” or “other-than-temporary.” This analysis included a determination of estimated future cash flows through an evaluation of the characteristics of the underlying loans and the structural features of the investment. Underlying loan characteristics reviewed included, but were not limited to, delinquency status, loan-to-value ratios, borrower credit scores, occupancy status and geographic concentration. The following table represents OTTI included in earnings for the year ended December 31, 2019. Year Ended December 31, $ in thousands 2019 RMBS interest-only securities 6,707 Non-Agency RMBS (1) 1,024 Total 7,731 (1) Amounts disclosed relate to credit losses on debt securities for which a portion of an other-than-temporary impairment was recognized in other comprehensive income. OTTI on RMBS interest-only securities was recorded as a reclassification from an unrealized to realized loss within gain (loss) on investments, net on the consolidated statements of operations because we account for these securities under the fair value option. The following table summarizes the components of our total gain (loss) on investments, net for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019. Years Ended December 31, $ in thousands 2021 2020 2019 Gross realized gains on sale of investments 3,297 656,915 24,721 Gross realized losses on sale of investments (284,521) (1,020,696) (16,682) Impairment of investments the Company intends to sell or more likely than not will be required to sell before recovery of amortized cost basis and other impairments — (101,138) — Other-than-temporary impairment losses — — (7,731) Net unrealized gains (losses) on MBS and GSE CRT accounted for under the fair value option (85,702) (492,047) 624,158 Net unrealized gains (losses) on commercial loan 417 (1,164) — Realized loss on loan participation interest — (3,808) — Total gain (loss) on investments, net (366,509) (961,938) 624,466 The following tables present components of interest income recognized on our MBS and GSE CRT portfolio for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019. GSE CRT interest income excludes coupon interest associated with embedded derivatives not accounted for under the fair value option of $6.3 million and $20.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, that was recorded as realized and unrealized credit derivative income (loss), net. For the Year ended December 31, 2021 $ in thousands Coupon Net (Premium Interest Agency RMBS 201,694 (41,881) 159,813 Non-Agency CMBS 3,841 2,695 6,536 Non-Agency RMBS 1,950 (1,264) 686 Other 21 — 21 Total 207,506 (40,450) 167,056 For the Year ended December 31, 2020 $ in thousands Coupon Net (Premium Amortization)/Discount Accretion Interest Agency RMBS 161,845 (32,737) 129,108 Agency CMBS 35,822 (1,744) 34,078 Non-Agency CMBS 76,068 14,721 90,789 Non-Agency RMBS 13,895 1,107 15,002 GSE CRT 10,232 (2,560) 7,672 Other 751 — 751 Total 298,613 (21,213) 277,400 For the Year ended December 31, 2019 $ in thousands Coupon Net (Premium Amortization)/Discount Accretion Interest Agency RMBS 488,650 (76,676) 411,974 Agency CMBS 88,462 (4,712) 83,750 Non-Agency CMBS 163,326 15,347 178,673 Non-Agency RMBS 52,857 13,164 66,021 GSE CRT 37,032 (7,842) 29,190 Other 3,049 — 3,049 Total 833,376 (60,719) 772,657 |