Segment reporting - Results of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2021
Segment Reporting Information
Net Interest income (expense)	$ 579,619	$ 489,393	$ 1,607,793	$ 1,456,307
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	39,637	(61,173)	33,499	(160,414)
Non-interest Income	426,494	169,258	738,597	477,451
Amortization of intangibles	795	783	2,481	3,089
Goodwill impairment charge	9,000	0	9,000	0
Depreciation expense	13,853	13,008	41,207	41,416
Other operating expenses	452,447	374,377	1,232,024	1,087,376
Income tax expense (benefit)	67,986	83,542	182,677	233,466
Net income	422,395	248,114	845,502	728,825
Segment assets	70,729,675	74,189,163	70,729,675	74,189,163	$ 75,097,899
Reportable Segment
Segment Reporting Information
Net Interest income (expense)	586,998	499,206	1,629,914	1,486,644
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	39,824	(60,959)	33,521	(160,226)
Non-interest Income	277,653	152,153	568,492	434,071
Amortization of intangibles	795	783	2,481	2,837
Goodwill impairment charge	9,000		9,000
Depreciation expense	13,555	12,680	40,326	40,556
Other operating expenses	453,647	374,729	1,235,782	1,090,767
Income tax expense (benefit)	58,837	83,496	175,030	234,121
Net income	288,993	240,630	702,266	712,660
Segment assets	70,427,194	73,791,528	70,427,194	73,791,528
Intersegment Elimination
Segment Reporting Information
Net Interest income (expense)	1	2	3	5
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Non-interest Income	(137)	(136)	(410)	(411)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment charge	0		0
Depreciation expense	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	(135)	(136)	(407)	(408)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net income	(1)	2	0	2
Segment assets	(319,999)	(23,074)	(319,999)	(23,074)
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information
Net Interest income (expense)	(7,379)	(9,813)	(22,121)	(30,337)
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(187)	(214)	(22)	(188)
Non-interest Income	148,228	17,251	174,060	45,675
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	252
Goodwill impairment charge	0		0
Depreciation expense	298	328	881	860
Other operating expenses	(46)	615	(149)	(567)
Income tax expense (benefit)	8,469	(279)	7,802	(925)
Net income	132,315	6,988	143,427	15,906
Segment assets	5,341,051	5,378,819	5,341,051	5,378,819
Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information
Net Interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Non-interest Income	613	(146)	(3,955)	(2,295)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment charge	0		0
Depreciation expense	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	(1,154)	(967)	(3,609)	(2,824)
Income tax expense (benefit)	680	325	(155)	270
Net income	1,087	496	(191)	259
Segment assets	(5,038,570)	(4,981,184)	(5,038,570)	(4,981,184)
Banco Popular de Puerto Rico
Segment Reporting Information
Goodwill impairment charge			0
Banco Popular de Puerto Rico | Reportable Segment
Segment Reporting Information
Net Interest income (expense)	488,123	419,166	1,351,086	1,248,689
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	29,813	(37,022)	24,941	(104,425)
Non-interest Income	262,587	146,139	542,826	417,399
Amortization of intangibles	484	617	1,453	2,338
Goodwill impairment charge	0		0
Depreciation expense	11,862	11,164	35,054	35,115
Other operating expenses	396,655	324,171	1,069,512	938,754
Income tax expense (benefit)	48,209	65,357	141,113	187,784
Net income	263,687	201,018	621,839	606,522
Segment assets	59,640,784	63,476,269	59,640,784	63,476,269
PB
Segment Reporting Information
Goodwill impairment charge			9,000
PB | Reportable Segment
Segment Reporting Information
Net Interest income (expense)	98,874	80,038	278,825	237,950
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	10,011	(23,937)	8,580	(55,801)
Non-interest Income	15,203	6,150	26,076	17,083
Amortization of intangibles	311	166	1,028	499
Goodwill impairment charge	9,000		9,000
Depreciation expense	1,693	1,516	5,272	5,441
Other operating expenses	57,127	50,694	166,677	152,421
Income tax expense (benefit)	10,628	18,139	33,917	46,337
Net income	25,307	39,610	80,427	106,136
Segment assets	$ 11,106,409	$ 10,338,333	$ 11,106,409	$ 10,338,333