Segment reporting - Results of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2021
Segment Reporting Information
Net Interest income (expense)	$ 533,862	$ 487,802	$ 1,028,174	$ 966,914
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	9,362	(17,015)	(6,138)	(99,241)
Non-interest Income	157,411	154,540	312,103	308,193
Amortization of intangibles	795	1,255	1,686	2,306
Depreciation expense	13,724	13,670	27,354	28,408
Other operating expenses	391,759	353,260	779,577	712,999
Income tax expense (benefit)	64,212	73,093	114,691	149,924
Net income	211,421	218,079	423,107	480,711
Segment assets	71,501,931	72,657,293	71,501,931	72,657,293	$ 75,097,899
Reportable Segment
Segment Reporting Information
Net Interest income (expense)	541,226	497,944	1,042,916	987,438
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	9,406	(17,186)	(6,303)	(99,267)
Non-interest Income	149,160	141,182	290,839	281,918
Amortization of intangibles	795	1,027	1,686	2,054
Depreciation expense	13,430	13,405	26,771	27,876
Other operating expenses	393,754	356,060	782,135	716,038
Income tax expense (benefit)	65,285	73,777	116,193	150,625
Net income	207,716	212,043	413,273	472,030
Segment assets	71,084,449	72,277,939	71,084,449	72,277,939
Intersegment Elimination
Segment Reporting Information
Net Interest income (expense)	1	1	2	3
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Non-interest Income	(136)	(137)	(273)	(275)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Depreciation expense	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	(136)	(136)	(272)	(272)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net income	1	0	1	0
Segment assets	(172,039)	(23,954)	(172,039)	(23,954)
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information
Net Interest income (expense)	(7,364)	(10,142)	(14,742)	(20,524)
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(44)	171	165	26
Non-interest Income	11,567	15,274	25,832	28,424
Amortization of intangibles	0	228	0	252
Depreciation expense	294	265	583	532
Other operating expenses	(547)	(1,852)	(103)	(1,182)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(335)	(313)	(667)	(646)
Net income	4,835	6,633	11,112	8,918
Segment assets	5,456,518	5,407,659	5,456,518	5,407,659
Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information
Net Interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Non-interest Income	(3,316)	(1,916)	(4,568)	(2,149)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Depreciation expense	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	(1,448)	(948)	(2,455)	(1,857)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(738)	(371)	(835)	(55)
Net income	(1,130)	(597)	(1,278)	(237)
Segment assets	(5,039,036)	(5,028,305)	(5,039,036)	(5,028,305)
Banco Popular de Puerto Rico | Reportable Segment
Segment Reporting Information
Net Interest income (expense)	447,794	419,200	862,963	829,523
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	8,818	(22,042)	(4,872)	(67,403)
Non-interest Income	144,377	136,052	280,239	271,260
Amortization of intangibles	485	860	969	1,721
Depreciation expense	11,675	11,808	23,192	23,951
Other operating expenses	337,979	307,663	672,857	614,583
Income tax expense (benefit)	53,588	63,614	92,904	122,427
Net income	179,626	193,349	358,152	405,504
Segment assets	60,435,535	62,104,522	60,435,535	62,104,522
PB | Reportable Segment
Segment Reporting Information
Net Interest income (expense)	93,431	78,743	179,951	157,912
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	588	4,856	(1,431)	(31,864)
Non-interest Income	4,919	5,267	10,873	10,933
Amortization of intangibles	310	167	717	333
Depreciation expense	1,755	1,597	3,579	3,925
Other operating expenses	55,911	48,533	109,550	101,727
Income tax expense (benefit)	11,697	10,163	23,289	28,198
Net income	28,089	18,694	55,120	66,526
Segment assets	$ 10,820,953	$ 10,197,371	$ 10,820,953	$ 10,197,371