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Fair value measurement - Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	$ 22,771,609	$ 21,561,152
Mortgage servicing rights	122,543	118,395	$ 147,311	$ 150,906
US Treasury Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	11,857,777	10,788,040
Obligations of U.S. Government sponsored entities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	92	60,184
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	337,964	392,132
Mortgage Backed Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	10,575,572	10,320,561
Other
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	204	235
Recurring
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	22,771,609	21,561,152
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	36,504	36,674
Equity securities at fair value	31,787	29,590
Mortgage servicing rights	122,543	118,395
Derivatives	20,971	20,785
Total assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis	22,983,414	21,766,596
Liabilities
Derivatives	(17,851)	(18,925)
Total	(17,851)	(18,925)
Recurring \| US Treasury Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	11,857,777	10,788,040
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	11,620	11,506
Recurring \| Obligations of U.S. Government sponsored entities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	92	60,184
Recurring \| Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	94	103
Recurring \| Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	337,964	392,132
Recurring \| Mortgage Backed Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	10,575,572	10,320,561
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	24,102	24,338
Recurring \| Other
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	204	235
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	372	381
Recurring \| CMO
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	316	346
Recurring \| Level 1
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	3,499,781
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	11,620	11,506
Equity securities at fair value	0	0
Mortgage servicing rights	0	0
Derivatives	0	0
Total assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis	11,620	3,511,287
Liabilities
Derivatives	0	0
Total	0	0
Recurring \| Level 1 \| US Treasury Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	3,499,781
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	11,620	11,506
Recurring \| Level 1 \| Obligations of U.S. Government sponsored entities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Recurring \| Level 1 \| Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 1 \| Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Recurring \| Level 1 \| Mortgage Backed Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 1 \| Other
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 1 \| CMO
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 2
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	22,770,675	18,060,357
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	24,261	24,509
Equity securities at fair value	31,787	29,590
Mortgage servicing rights	0	0
Derivatives	20,971	20,785
Total assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis	22,847,694	18,135,241
Liabilities
Derivatives	(17,851)	(18,925)
Total	(17,851)	(18,925)
Recurring \| Level 2 \| US Treasury Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	11,857,777	7,288,259
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Obligations of U.S. Government sponsored entities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	92	60,184
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	94	103
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	337,964	392,132
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Mortgage Backed Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	10,574,638	10,319,547
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	24,102	24,338
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Other
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	204	235
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 2 \| CMO
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	65	68
Recurring \| Level 3
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	934	1,014
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	623	659
Equity securities at fair value	0	0
Mortgage servicing rights	122,543	118,395
Derivatives	0	0
Total assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis	124,100	120,068
Liabilities
Derivatives	0	0
Total	0	0
Recurring \| Level 3 \| US Treasury Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 3 \| Obligations of U.S. Government sponsored entities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Recurring \| Level 3 \| Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 3 \| Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Recurring \| Level 3 \| Mortgage Backed Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	934	1,014
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 3 \| Other
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	372	381	428
Recurring \| Level 3 \| CMO
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	$ 251	$ 278	$ 467