Debt Securities Held-to-maturity - Allowance for credit loss on held to maturity (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021
Debt securities held to maturity allowance for credit loss
Beginning balance			$ 8,096
Ending balance	$ 7,495		7,495
Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Debt securities held to maturity allowance for credit loss
Beginning balance	7,844	$ 10,096	8,096	$ 10,261
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(349)	118	(601)	(47)
Securities charged-off	0	0	0	0
Recoveries	0	0	0	0
Ending balance	$ 7,495	$ 10,214	$ 7,495	$ 10,214

Amount of allowance for credit loss for debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919249-210447

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (aaa)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123581744&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255206&loc=SL82895884-210446

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919249-210447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesHeldToMaturityAllowanceForCreditLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase in allowance for credit loss on investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity), from recovery.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesHeldToMaturityAllowanceForCreditLossRecovery
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesHeldToMaturityAllowanceForCreditLossRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of writeoff of investment in debt security, measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity), charged against allowance for credit loss.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesHeldToMaturityAllowanceForCreditLossWriteoff
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of expense (reversal of expense) for expected credit loss on investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesHeldToMaturityCreditLossExpenseReversal
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=bpop_PuertoRicoStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: