Allowance for credit losses - Amortized cost basis of the loans modified to borrowers experiencing financial difficulties (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis		$ 44,921		$ 134,824
Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis		31,134		66,726
Commercial | CRE non-owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis		51		3,451
Commercial | CRE owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis		12,369		13,096
Consumer | Credit card
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis		172		445
Consumer | Personal loans
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis		1,030		1,758
Consumer | Auto Loan
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis				28
Leasing
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis		$ 12		$ 12
Interest Rate Reduction
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 421		$ 972
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Interest Rate Reduction | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 226
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.00%
Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Credit card
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 222		$ 427
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.02%		0.04%
Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Personal loans
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 199		$ 316
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.01%		0.02%
Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Other
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 3
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.00%
Term Extension
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 82,728		$ 108,935
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.25%		0.33%
Term Extension | Construction
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 5,422		$ 10,122
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.66%		1.23%
Term Extension | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 13,370		$ 29,615
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.18%		0.40%
Term Extension | Commercial | CRE non-owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 24,978		$ 24,978
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.53%		0.53%
Term Extension | Commercial | CRE owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 17,149		$ 18,874
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.56%		0.62%
Term Extension | Commercial | Commercial and industrial
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 21,610		$ 25,069
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.35%		0.40%
Term Extension | Consumer | Personal loans
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 161		$ 239
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.01%		0.01%
Term Extension | Consumer | Auto Loan
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 38		$ 38
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 12,000		$ 23,307
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.04%		0.07%
Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 11,453		$ 22,213
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.15%		0.30%
Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction | Commercial | CRE owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 101
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.01%
Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction | Commercial | Commercial and industrial
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 58		$ 58
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Personal loans
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 489		$ 907
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.03%		0.05%
Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Auto Loan
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 28
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.00%
Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 885		$ 31,559
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.10%
Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 137		$ 137
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays | Commercial | CRE non-owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 1,743
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.04%
Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays | Commercial | CRE owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 748		$ 27,462
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.02%		0.90%
Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays | Commercial | Commercial and industrial
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 2,217
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.04%
Combination - Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays and Interest Rate Reduction
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 268		$ 523
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Combination - Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays and Interest Rate Reduction | Commercial | Commercial and industrial
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 78		$ 78
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Combination - Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays and Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Credit card
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 190		$ 445
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.02%		0.04%
Puerto Rico | Interest Rate Reduction
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 418		$ 969
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Puerto Rico | Interest Rate Reduction | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 226
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.00%
Puerto Rico | Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Credit card
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 222		$ 427
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.02%		0.04%
Puerto Rico | Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Personal loans
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 196		$ 313
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.01%		0.02%
Puerto Rico | Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Other
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 3
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.00%
Puerto Rico | Term Extension
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 64,224		$ 83,840
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.28%		0.36%
Puerto Rico | Term Extension | Construction
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 5,422		$ 5,422
% of total class of Financing Receivables	3.12%		3.12%
Puerto Rico | Term Extension | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 10,694		$ 25,100
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.17%		0.41%
Puerto Rico | Term Extension | Commercial | CRE non-owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 24,978		$ 24,978
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.86%		0.86%
Puerto Rico | Term Extension | Commercial | CRE owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 1,434		$ 3,159
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.10%		0.22%
Puerto Rico | Term Extension | Commercial | Commercial and industrial
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 21,610		$ 25,069
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.54%		0.62%
Puerto Rico | Term Extension | Consumer | Personal loans
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 48		$ 74
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Puerto Rico | Term Extension | Consumer | Auto Loan
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 38		$ 38
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Puerto Rico | Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 11,919		$ 22,899
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.05%		0.10%
Puerto Rico | Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 11,372		$ 21,805
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.18%		0.35%
Puerto Rico | Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction | Commercial | CRE owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 101
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.01%
Puerto Rico | Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction | Commercial | Commercial and industrial
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 58		$ 58
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Puerto Rico | Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Personal loans
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 489		$ 907
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.03%		0.05%
Puerto Rico | Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Auto Loan
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 28
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.00%
Puerto Rico | Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 885		$ 17,087
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.07%
Puerto Rico | Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 137		$ 137
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Puerto Rico | Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays | Commercial | CRE non-owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 1,743
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.06%
Puerto Rico | Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays | Commercial | CRE owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 748		$ 13,812
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.05%		0.97%
Puerto Rico | Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays | Commercial | Commercial and industrial
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 1,395
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.03%
Puerto Rico | Combination - Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays and Interest Rate Reduction
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 268		$ 523
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Puerto Rico | Combination - Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays and Interest Rate Reduction | Commercial | Commercial and industrial
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 78		$ 78
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Puerto Rico | Combination - Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays and Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Credit card
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 190		$ 445
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.02%		0.04%
Popular U.S. | Interest Rate Reduction
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 3		$ 3
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Popular U.S. | Interest Rate Reduction | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 0
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.00%
Popular U.S. | Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Credit card
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 0		$ 0
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Popular U.S. | Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Personal loans
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 3		$ 3
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Popular U.S. | Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Other
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 0
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.00%
Popular U.S. | Term Extension
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 18,504		$ 25,095
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.19%		0.25%
Popular U.S. | Term Extension | Construction
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 0		$ 4,700
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.73%
Popular U.S. | Term Extension | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 2,676		$ 4,515
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.21%		0.35%
Popular U.S. | Term Extension | Commercial | CRE non-owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 0		$ 0
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Popular U.S. | Term Extension | Commercial | CRE owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 15,715		$ 15,715
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.97%		0.97%
Popular U.S. | Term Extension | Commercial | Commercial and industrial
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 0		$ 0
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Popular U.S. | Term Extension | Consumer | Personal loans
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 113		$ 165
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.05%		0.08%
Popular U.S. | Term Extension | Consumer | Auto Loan
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 0		$ 0
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Popular U.S. | Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 81		$ 408
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Popular U.S. | Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 81		$ 408
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.01%		0.03%
Popular U.S. | Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction | Commercial | CRE owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 0
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.00%
Popular U.S. | Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction | Commercial | Commercial and industrial
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 0		$ 0
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Popular U.S. | Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Personal loans
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 0		$ 0
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Popular U.S. | Combination - Term Extension and Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Auto Loan
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 0
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.00%
Popular U.S. | Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 0		$ 14,472
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.15%
Popular U.S. | Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 0		$ 0
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Popular U.S. | Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays | Commercial | CRE non-owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 0
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.00%
Popular U.S. | Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays | Commercial | CRE owner occupied
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 0		$ 13,650
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.85%
Popular U.S. | Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays | Commercial | Commercial and industrial
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis			$ 822
% of total class of Financing Receivables			0.04%
Popular U.S. | Combination - Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays and Interest Rate Reduction
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 0		$ 0
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Popular U.S. | Combination - Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays and Interest Rate Reduction | Commercial | Commercial and industrial
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 0		$ 0
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%
Popular U.S. | Combination - Other-Than-Insignificant Payment Delays and Interest Rate Reduction | Consumer | Credit card
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 0		$ 0
% of total class of Financing Receivables	0.00%		0.00%