Allowance for credit losses - Allowance Movement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	$ 695,366	$ 896,250
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	83,307	(183,345)
Initial allowance for credit losses - PCD Loans	915	3,142
Charge-offs	(144,318)	(135,177)
Recoveries	85,032	114,496
Ending balance	720,302	695,366
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	7,897	15,851
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	908	(7,954)
Balance at end of period	8,805	7,897
Construction
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	6,363	14,237
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(4,060)	(6,297)
Initial allowance for credit losses - PCD Loans	0	0
Charge-offs	0	(7,143)
Recoveries	1,943	5,566
Ending balance	4,246	6,363
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	4,725	9,079
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(1,519)	(4,354)
Balance at end of period	3,206	4,725
Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	154,478	215,716
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(35,894)	(61,633)
Initial allowance for credit losses - PCD Loans	915	3,142
Charge-offs	(5,173)	(18,261)
Recoveries	20,928	15,514
Ending balance	135,254	154,478
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	0	0
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0
Balance at end of period	0	0
Commercial
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	215,805	333,380
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	16,072	(137,122)
Initial allowance for credit losses - PCD Loans	0	0
Charge-offs	(17,250)	(18,357)
Recoveries	20,749	37,904
Ending balance	235,376	215,805
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	3,135	6,666
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	2,376	(3,531)
Balance at end of period	5,511	3,135
Leasing
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	17,578	16,863
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	6,832	2,094
Initial allowance for credit losses - PCD Loans	0	0
Charge-offs	(7,107)	(4,637)
Recoveries	3,315	3,258
Ending balance	20,618	17,578
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	0	0
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0
Balance at end of period	0	0
Consumer
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	301,142	316,054
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	100,357	19,613
Initial allowance for credit losses - PCD Loans	0	0
Charge-offs	(114,788)	(86,779)
Recoveries	38,097	52,254
Ending balance	324,808	301,142
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	37	106
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	51	(69)
Balance at end of period	88	37
Puerto Rico
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	594,162	739,750
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	69,544	(129,018)
Initial allowance for credit losses - PCD Loans	915	3,142
Charge-offs	(126,202)	(124,140)
Recoveries	77,126	104,428
Ending balance	615,545	594,162
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	4,139	9,523
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	2,219	(5,384)
Balance at end of period	6,358	4,139
Puerto Rico | Construction
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	1,641	4,871
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	526	(1,533)
Initial allowance for credit losses - PCD Loans	0	0
Charge-offs	0	(6,620)
Recoveries	811	4,923
Ending balance	2,978	1,641
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	2,388	4,610
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(366)	(2,222)
Balance at end of period	2,022	2,388
Puerto Rico | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	138,286	195,557
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(37,600)	(57,684)
Initial allowance for credit losses - PCD Loans	915	3,142
Charge-offs	(5,105)	(17,656)
Recoveries	20,848	14,927
Ending balance	117,344	138,286
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	0	0
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0
Balance at end of period	0	0
Puerto Rico | Commercial
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	151,928	225,323
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	11,475	(91,695)
Initial allowance for credit losses - PCD Loans	0	0
Charge-offs	(7,238)	(17,180)
Recoveries	18,130	35,480
Ending balance	174,295	151,928
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	1,751	4,913
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	2,585	(3,162)
Balance at end of period	4,336	1,751
Puerto Rico | Leasing
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	17,578	16,863
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	6,832	2,094
Initial allowance for credit losses - PCD Loans	0	0
Charge-offs	(7,107)	(4,637)
Recoveries	3,315	3,258
Ending balance	20,618	17,578
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	0	0
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0
Balance at end of period	0	0
Puerto Rico | Consumer
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	284,729	297,136
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	88,311	19,800
Initial allowance for credit losses - PCD Loans	0	0
Charge-offs	(106,752)	(78,047)
Recoveries	34,022	45,840
Ending balance	300,310	284,729
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	0	0
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0
Balance at end of period	0	0
Popular U.S.
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	101,204	156,500
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	13,763	(54,327)
Charge-offs	(18,116)	(11,037)
Recoveries	7,906	10,068
Ending balance	104,757	101,204
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	3,758	6,328
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(1,311)	(2,570)
Balance at end of period	2,447	3,758
Popular U.S. | Construction
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	4,722	9,366
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(4,586)	(4,764)
Charge-offs	0	(523)
Recoveries	1,132	643
Ending balance	1,268	4,722
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	2,337	4,469
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(1,153)	(2,132)
Balance at end of period	1,184	2,337
Popular U.S. | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	16,192	20,159
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	1,706	(3,949)
Charge-offs	(68)	(605)
Recoveries	80	587
Ending balance	17,910	16,192
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	0	0
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0
Balance at end of period	0	0
Popular U.S. | Commercial
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	63,877	108,057
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	4,597	(45,427)
Charge-offs	(10,012)	(1,177)
Recoveries	2,619	2,424
Ending balance	61,081	63,877
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	1,384	1,753
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(209)	(369)
Balance at end of period	1,175	1,384
Popular U.S. | Consumer
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	16,413	18,918
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	12,046	(187)
Charge-offs	(8,036)	(8,732)
Recoveries	4,075	6,414
Ending balance	24,498	16,413
Allowance for credit losses - unfunded commitments:
Balance at beginning of period	37	106
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	51	(69)
Balance at end of period	$ 88	$ 37