Segment reporting - Results of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2022
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	$ 534,020	$ 579,619	$ 1,597,344	$ 1,607,793
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	45,117	39,637	129,946	33,499
Non-interest Income	159,549	426,494	481,981	738,597
Amortization of intangibles	795	795	2,385	2,481
Goodwill impairment charge	23,000	9,000	23,000	9,000
Depreciation expense	15,223	13,853	43,180	41,207
Other operating expenses	426,966	452,447	1,298,390	1,232,024
Income tax expense (benefit)	45,859	67,986	135,676	182,677
Net income (loss)	136,609	422,395	446,748	845,502
Segment assets	69,736,936	70,729,675	69,736,936	70,729,675	$ 67,637,917
Reportable Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	541,325	586,998	1,621,809	1,629,914
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	45,255	39,824	130,280	33,521
Non-interest Income	150,451	277,653	453,727	568,492
Amortization of intangibles	795	795	2,385	2,481
Goodwill impairment charge	23,000	9,000	23,000	9,000
Depreciation expense	14,842	13,555	42,085	40,326
Other operating expenses	427,945	453,647	1,301,927	1,235,782
Income tax expense (benefit)	46,219	58,837	137,180	175,030
Net income (loss)	133,720	288,993	438,679	702,266
Segment assets	69,397,530	70,427,194	69,397,530	70,427,194	70,427,194
Intersegment Elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	1	1	2	3
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Non-interest Income	(134)	(137)	(404)	(410)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment charge	0	0	0	0
Depreciation expense	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	(134)	(135)	(404)	(407)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	1	(1)	2	0
Segment assets	(448,100)	(319,999)	(448,100)	(319,999)	(319,999)
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	(7,305)	(7,379)	(24,465)	(22,121)
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(138)	(187)	(334)	(22)
Non-interest Income	10,179	148,228	32,905	174,060
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment charge	0	0	0	0
Depreciation expense	381	298	1,095	881
Other operating expenses	180	(46)	(146)	(149)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(396)	8,469	(1,006)	7,802
Net income (loss)	2,847	132,315	8,831	143,427
Segment assets	5,554,370	5,341,051	5,554,370	5,341,051	5,341,051
Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Non-interest Income	(1,081)	613	(4,651)	(3,955)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment charge	0	0	0	0
Depreciation expense	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	(1,159)	(1,154)	(3,391)	(3,609)
Income tax expense (benefit)	36	680	(498)	(155)
Net income (loss)	42	1,087	(762)	(191)
Segment assets	(5,214,964)	(5,038,570)	(5,214,964)	(5,038,570)	(5,038,570)
Banco Popular de Puerto Rico
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment charge			0	0
Banco Popular de Puerto Rico | Reportable Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	453,879	488,123	1,356,774	1,351,086
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	51,899	29,813	126,952	24,941
Non-interest Income	144,691	262,587	435,966	542,826
Amortization of intangibles	484	484	1,453	1,453
Goodwill impairment charge	0	0	0	0
Depreciation expense	12,880	11,862	36,424	35,054
Other operating expenses	369,738	396,655	1,119,522	1,069,512
Income tax expense (benefit)	40,861	48,209	120,996	141,113
Net income (loss)	122,708	263,687	387,393	621,839
Segment assets	57,039,000	59,640,784	57,039,000	59,640,784	59,640,784
PB
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment charge			23,000	9,000
PB | Reportable Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	87,445	98,874	265,033	278,825
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(6,644)	10,011	3,328	8,580
Non-interest Income	5,894	15,203	18,165	26,076
Amortization of intangibles	311	311	932	1,028
Goodwill impairment charge	23,000	9,000	23,000	9,000
Depreciation expense	1,962	1,693	5,661	5,272
Other operating expenses	58,341	57,127	182,809	166,677
Income tax expense (benefit)	5,358	10,628	16,184	33,917
Net income (loss)	11,011	25,307	51,284	80,427
Segment assets	$ 12,806,630	$ 11,106,409	$ 12,806,630	$ 11,106,409	$ 11,106,409