Derivative Positions (Detail) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Credit Default Swap [Member]
Fair values of written CDS	$ 1,000,000		$ 6,000,000
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets
Notional amount of derivatives	146,915,000,000	[1]	182,446,000,000	[2]
Derivative asset positions	9,664,000,000	[1]	9,120,000,000	[2]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Designated as Hedging Instrument | Cash Flow Hedging
Derivatives designated as hedging relationships, notional amount	(17,350,000,000)	[1],[3]	(16,397,000,000)	[2],[3]
Derivative asset positions	885,000,000	[1],[3]	1,057,000,000	[2],[3]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Designated as Hedging Instrument | Cash Flow Hedging | Equity Contract | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Trading Account Assets [Member]
Derivatives designated as hedging relationships, notional amount			(1,547,000,000)	[2],[3]
Derivative asset positions			0	[2],[3]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Designated as Hedging Instrument | Cash Flow Hedging | Interest Rate Contract | Floating Rate Loans | Trading Account Assets [Member]
Derivatives designated as hedging relationships, notional amount	(17,350,000,000)	[1],[3]	(14,850,000,000)	[2],[3]
Derivative asset positions	885,000,000	[1],[3]	1,057,000,000	[2],[3]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Designated as Hedging Instrument | Fair Value Hedging
Derivatives designated as hedging relationships, notional amount	(1,000,000,000)	[1],[4]	(1,000,000,000)	[2],[5]
Derivative asset positions	71,000,000	[1],[4]	56,000,000	[2],[5]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Designated as Hedging Instrument | Fair Value Hedging | Equity Contract | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Trading Account Assets [Member]
Derivatives designated as hedging relationships, notional amount			0	[2],[5]
Derivative asset positions			0	[2],[5]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Designated as Hedging Instrument | Fair Value Hedging | Interest Rate Contract | Fixed Rate Debt | Trading Account Assets [Member]
Derivatives designated as hedging relationships, notional amount	(1,000,000,000)	[1],[4]	(1,000,000,000)	[2],[5]
Derivative asset positions	71,000,000	[1],[4]	56,000,000	[2],[5]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Nondesignated
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	128,565,000,000	[1],[6]	165,049,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative asset positions	8,708,000,000	[1],[6]	8,007,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Nondesignated | Future [Member]
Notional Amount of Interest Rate Derivatives	1,100,000,000
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Nondesignated | Equity Contract | Trading Activity | Trading Account Assets [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	13,435,000,000	[1],[6],[7]	10,168,000,000	[2],[6],[8]
Derivative asset positions	1,415,000,000	[1],[6],[7]	1,013,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Nondesignated | Interest Rate Contract | Fixed Rate Debt | Trading Account Assets [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	437,000,000	[1],[6]	437,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative asset positions	7,000,000	[1],[6]	13,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Nondesignated | Interest Rate Contract | Mortgage Servicing Rights | Other Assets [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	15,073,000,000	[1],[6]	28,800,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative asset positions	280,000,000	[1],[6]	472,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Nondesignated | Interest Rate Contract | Loans | Other Assets [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	4,800,000,000	[1],[6]	2,657,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative asset positions	52,000,000	[1],[6]	19,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Nondesignated | Interest Rate Contract | Trading Activity | Trading Account Assets [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	83,278,000,000	[1],[6],[7]	113,420,000,000	[2],[6],[8]
Derivative asset positions	6,605,000,000	[1],[6],[7]	6,226,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Nondesignated | Foreign Exchange Contract | Trading Activity | Trading Account Assets [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	2,257,000,000	[1],[6]	2,532,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative asset positions	64,000,000	[1],[6]	127,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Nondesignated | Foreign Exchange Contract | Foreign-Denominated Debt and Commercial Loans | Trading Account Assets [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	34,000,000	[1],[6]	33,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative asset positions	0	[1],[6]	1,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Nondesignated | Credit Risk Contract [Member] | Loans | Trading Account Assets [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount			45,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative asset positions			1,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Nondesignated | Credit Risk Contract [Member] | Loans | Other Assets [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	20,000,000	[1],[6]
Derivative asset positions	0	[1],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Nondesignated | Credit Risk Contract [Member] | Trading Activity | Trading Account Assets [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	1,926,000,000	[1],[6],[9]	1,841,000,000	[10],[2],[6]
Derivative asset positions	58,000,000	[1],[6]	28,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Nondesignated | Other Contract | Loans | Other Assets [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	7,003,000,000	[1],[6]	4,909,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative asset positions	198,000,000	[1],[6]	84,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets | Nondesignated | Other Contract | Trading Activity | Trading Account Assets [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	302,000,000	[1],[6]	207,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative asset positions	29,000,000	[1],[6]	23,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member]
Notional amount of derivatives	127,965,000,000	[1]	128,350,000,000	[2]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	8,251,000,000	[1]	7,499,000,000	[2]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument | Cash Flow Hedging
Derivatives designated as hedging relationships, notional amount	0	[1],[3]	(1,547,000,000)	[2],[3]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	0	[1],[3]	189,000,000	[2],[3]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument | Cash Flow Hedging | Equity Contract | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Trading Liabilities
Derivatives designated as hedging relationships, notional amount			(1,547,000,000)	[2],[3]
Derivative liability positions, fair value			189,000,000	[2],[3]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument | Cash Flow Hedging | Interest Rate Contract | Floating Rate Loans | Trading Liabilities
Derivatives designated as hedging relationships, notional amount	0	[1],[3]	0	[2],[3]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	0	[1],[3]	0	[2],[3]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument | Fair Value Hedging
Derivatives designated as hedging relationships, notional amount	0	[1],[4]	(450,000,000)	[2],[5]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	0	[1],[4]	1,000,000	[2],[5]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument | Fair Value Hedging | Equity Contract | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Trading Liabilities
Derivatives designated as hedging relationships, notional amount			(450,000,000)	[2],[5]
Derivative liability positions, fair value			1,000,000	[2],[5]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument | Fair Value Hedging | Interest Rate Contract | Fixed Rate Debt | Trading Liabilities
Derivatives designated as hedging relationships, notional amount	0	[1],[4]	0	[2],[5]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	0	[1],[4]	0	[2],[5]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Nondesignated
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	127,965,000,000	[1],[6]	126,353,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	8,251,000,000	[1],[6]	7,309,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Nondesignated | Future [Member]
Notional Amount of Interest Rate Derivatives			1,200,000,000
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Nondesignated | Equity Contract | Trading Activity | Trading Liabilities
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	19,735,000,000	[1],[6],[7]	10,445,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	1,581,000,000	[1],[6],[7]	1,045,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Nondesignated | Interest Rate Contract | Fixed Rate Debt | Trading Liabilities
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	60,000,000	[1],[6]	60,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	11,000,000	[1],[6]	9,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Nondesignated | Interest Rate Contract | Mortgage Servicing Rights | Other Liabilities [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	3,650,000,000	[1],[6]	2,920,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	45,000,000	[1],[6]	29,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Nondesignated | Interest Rate Contract | Loans | Other Liabilities [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	7,977,000,000	[1],[11],[6]	6,228,000,000	[12],[2],[6]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	166,000,000	[1],[6]	54,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Nondesignated | Interest Rate Contract | Trading Activity | Trading Liabilities
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	91,420,000,000	[1],[6],[7]	101,042,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	6,300,000,000	[1],[6],[7]	5,847,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Nondesignated | Foreign Exchange Contract | Trading Activity | Trading Liabilities
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	2,394,000,000	[1],[6]	2,739,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	61,000,000	[1],[6]	125,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Nondesignated | Foreign Exchange Contract | Foreign-Denominated Debt and Commercial Loans | Trading Liabilities
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	0	[1],[6]	460,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	0	[1],[6]	129,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Nondesignated | Credit Risk Contract [Member] | Loans | Trading Liabilities
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount			308,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	5,000,000	[1],[6]	3,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Nondesignated | Credit Risk Contract [Member] | Loans | Other Liabilities [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	356,000,000	[1],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Nondesignated | Credit Risk Contract [Member] | Trading Activity | Trading Liabilities
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	1,936,000,000	[1],[6],[9]	1,809,000,000	[10],[2],[6]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	53,000,000	[1],[6]	23,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Nondesignated | Other Contract | Loans | Other Liabilities [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	134,000,000	[1],[13],[6]	139,000,000	[14],[2],[6]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	1,000,000	[1],[13],[6]	22,000,000	[14],[2],[6]
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Nondesignated | Other Contract | Trading Activity | Trading Liabilities
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments, notional amount	303,000,000	[1],[6]	203,000,000	[2],[6]
Derivative liability positions, fair value	$ 28,000,000	[1],[6]	$ 23,000,000	[2],[6]

[1] The Company offsets cash collateral paid to and received from derivative counterparties when the derivative contracts are subject to ISDA master netting arrangements and meet the derivative offsetting requirements. The effects of offsetting on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2012, are presented in Note 12, "Fair Value Election and Measurement."

[2] The Company offsets cash collateral paid to and received from derivative counterparties when the derivative contracts are subject to ISDA master netting arrangements and meet the derivative offsetting requirements. The effects of offsetting on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2011, are presented in Note 12, "Fair Value Election and Measurement."

[3] See “Cash Flow Hedges” in this Note for further discussion.

[4] See “Fair Value Hedges” in this Note for further discussion.

[5] See "Fair Value Hedges" in this Note for further discussion.

[6] See “Economic Hedging and Trading Activities” in this Note for further discussion.

[7] Amounts include $16.6 billion and $0.3 billion of notional related to interest rate futures and equity futures, respectively. These futures contracts settle in cash daily, one day in arrears. The derivative assets/liabilities associated with the one day lag are included in the fair value column of this table.

[8] Amounts include $16.7 billion and $0.6 billion of notional related to interest rate futures and equity futures, respectively. These futures contracts settle in cash daily, one day in arrears. The derivative asset associated with the one day lag is included in the fair value column of this table unless immaterial.

[9] Asset and liability amounts include $2 million and $4 million, respectively, of notional from purchased and written credit risk participation agreements, respectively, whose notional is calculated as the notional of the derivative participated adjusted by the relevant RWA conversion factor.

[10] Asset and liability amounts include $2 million and $6 million, respectively, of notional from purchased and written interest rate swap risk participation agreements, respectively, whose notional is calculated as the notional of the interest rate swap participated adjusted by the relevant RWA conversion factor.

[11] Amount includes $1.1 billion of notional amounts related to interest rate futures. These futures contracts settle in cash daily, one day in arrears. The derivative asset or liability associated with the one day lag is included in the fair value column of this table.

[12] Amount includes $1.2 billion of notional amounts related to interest rate futures. These futures contracts settle in cash daily, one day in arrears. The derivative liability associated with the one day lag is included in the fair value column of this table unless immaterial.

[13] Includes a $1 million derivative liability recognized in other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, related to a notional amount of $134 million. The notional amount is based on the number of Visa Class B shares, 3.2 million, the conversion ratio from Class B shares to Class A shares, and the Class A share price at the derivative inception date of May 28, 2009. This derivative was established upon the sale of Class B shares in the second quarter of 2009 as discussed in Note 11, “Reinsurance Arrangements and Guarantees.”

[14] Includes a $22 million derivative liability recognized in other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, related to a notional amount of $134 million. The notional amount is based on the number of Visa Class B shares, 3.2 million, the conversion ratio from Class B shares to Class A shares, and the Class A share price at the derivative inception date of May 28, 2009. This derivative was established upon the sale of Class B shares in the second quarter of 2009 as discussed in Note 11, “Reinsurance Arrangements and Guarantees.”