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Fair value measurement - Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	$ 24,391,226	$ 21,561,152
Mortgage servicing rights	116,567	118,395	$ 123,552	$ 150,906
US Treasury Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	14,616,949	10,788,040
Obligations of U.S. Government sponsored entities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	71	60,184
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	250,491	392,132
Mortgage Backed Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	9,523,559	10,320,561
Other
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	156	235
Recurring
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	24,391,226	21,561,152
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	36,064	36,674
Equity securities at fair value	30,212	29,590
Mortgage servicing rights	116,567	118,395
Derivatives	23,827	20,785
Total assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis	24,597,896	21,766,596
Liabilities
Derivatives	(20,879)	(18,925)
Total	(20,879)	(18,925)
Recurring \| US Treasury Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	14,616,949	10,788,040
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	10,780	11,506
Recurring \| Obligations of U.S. Government sponsored entities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	71	60,184
Recurring \| Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	82	103
Recurring \| Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	250,491	392,132
Recurring \| CMO
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	281	346
Recurring \| Mortgage Backed Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	9,523,559	10,320,561
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	24,569	24,338
Recurring \| Other
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	156	235
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	352	381
Recurring \| Level 1
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	799,972	3,499,781
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	10,780	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	810,752	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	799,972	3,499,781
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	10,780	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 \| CMO
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	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 2
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	23,590,371	18,060,357
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	24,712	24,509
Equity securities at fair value	30,212	29,590
Mortgage servicing rights	0	0
Derivatives	23,827	20,785
Total assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis	23,669,122	18,135,241
Liabilities
Derivatives	(20,879)	(18,925)
Total	(20,879)	(18,925)
Recurring \| Level 2 \| US Treasury Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	13,816,977	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	71	60,184
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	82	103
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	250,491	392,132
Recurring \| Level 2 \| CMO
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	61	68
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Mortgage Backed Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	9,522,676	10,319,547
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	24,569	24,338
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Other
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	156	235
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 3
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	883	1,014
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	572	659
Equity securities at fair value	0	0
Mortgage servicing rights	116,567	118,395
Derivatives	0	0
Total assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis	118,022	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 \| CMO
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	220	278	410
Recurring \| Level 3 \| Mortgage Backed Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	883	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	$ 352	$ 381	$ 413