Loans - Amortized cost basis and interest income recognized on non-accrual loans (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	$ 190,430	$ 236,858
Non-accrual with allowance	262,989	311,019
Construction
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance		0
Non-accrual with allowance		485
Mortgages
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	132,300	169,856
Non-accrual with allowance	142,006	186,000
Commercial | Commercial multi-family
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	0	0
Non-accrual with allowance	251	272
Commercial | CRE non-owner occupied
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	16,931	15,819
Non-accrual with allowance	15,143	5,519
Commercial | CRE owner occupied
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	11,247	13,491
Non-accrual with allowance	17,738	41,857
Commercial | Commercial and Industrial
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	22,844	30,177
Non-accrual with allowance	19,722	18,444
Leasing
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	218	276
Non-accrual with allowance	5,479	2,826
Consumer | Home equity lines of credit
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	0	0
Non-accrual with allowance	3,970	5,406
Consumer | Personal loans
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	5,560	6,360
Non-accrual with allowance	13,818	15,556
Consumer | Auto Loan
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	1,067	879
Non-accrual with allowance	33,365	22,206
Consumer | Other
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	263	0
Non-accrual with allowance	11,497	12,448
Puerto Rico
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	190,430	236,748
Non-accrual with allowance	219,785	277,541
Puerto Rico | Construction
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance		0
Non-accrual with allowance		485
Puerto Rico | Mortgages
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	132,300	169,827
Non-accrual with allowance	120,473	164,060
Puerto Rico | Commercial | Commercial multi-family
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	0	0
Non-accrual with allowance	251	272
Puerto Rico | Commercial | CRE non-owner occupied
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	16,931	15,819
Non-accrual with allowance	4,512	4,897
Puerto Rico | Commercial | CRE owner occupied
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	11,247	13,491
Non-accrual with allowance	17,132	40,844
Puerto Rico | Commercial | Commercial and Industrial
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	22,844	30,177
Non-accrual with allowance	14,531	14,547
Puerto Rico | Leasing
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	218	276
Non-accrual with allowance	5,479	2,826
Puerto Rico | Consumer | Home equity lines of credit
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	0	0
Non-accrual with allowance	0	0
Puerto Rico | Consumer | Personal loans
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	5,560	6,279
Non-accrual with allowance	12,557	14,956
Puerto Rico | Consumer | Auto Loan
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	1,067	879
Non-accrual with allowance	33,365	22,206
Puerto Rico | Consumer | Other
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	263	0
Non-accrual with allowance	11,485	12,448
Popular U.S.
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	0	110
Non-accrual with allowance	43,204	33,478
Popular U.S. | Construction
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance		0
Non-accrual with allowance		0
Popular U.S. | Mortgages
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	0	29
Non-accrual with allowance	21,533	21,940
Popular U.S. | Commercial | Commercial multi-family
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	0	0
Non-accrual with allowance	0	0
Popular U.S. | Commercial | CRE non-owner occupied
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	0	0
Non-accrual with allowance	10,631	622
Popular U.S. | Commercial | CRE owner occupied
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	0	0
Non-accrual with allowance	606	1,013
Popular U.S. | Commercial | Commercial and Industrial
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	0	0
Non-accrual with allowance	5,191	3,897
Popular U.S. | Leasing
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	0	0
Non-accrual with allowance	0	0
Popular U.S. | Consumer | Home equity lines of credit
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	0	0
Non-accrual with allowance	3,970	5,406
Popular U.S. | Consumer | Personal loans
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	0	81
Non-accrual with allowance	1,261	600
Popular U.S. | Consumer | Auto Loan
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	0	0
Non-accrual with allowance	0	0
Popular U.S. | Consumer | Other
Financing receivable nonaccrual status
Non-accrual with no allowance	0	0
Non-accrual with allowance	$ 12	$ 0