Segment reporting - Results of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2024	Mar. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2023
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	$ 550,744	$ 531,656
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	72,598	47,637
Non-interest Income	163,818	161,961
Amortization of intangibles	795	795
Depreciation expense	15,361	13,842
Other operating expenses	466,957	426,050
Income tax expense (benefit)	55,568	46,314
Net income (loss)	103,283	158,979
Segment assets	70,936,939	67,675,759	$ 70,758,155
Reportable Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	557,694	539,907
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	72,115	47,773
Non-interest Income	152,733	153,719
Amortization of intangibles	795	795
Depreciation expense	14,952	13,483
Other operating expenses	461,537	426,896
Income tax expense (benefit)	32,662	46,808
Net income (loss)	128,366	157,871
Segment assets	70,577,316	67,376,464
Reportable Segment | Banco Popular de Puerto Rico
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	472,841	449,820
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	60,680	45,708
Non-interest Income	145,669	147,471
Amortization of intangibles	484	484
Depreciation expense	13,009	11,669
Other operating expenses	393,805	363,715
Income tax expense (benefit)	29,206	42,832
Net income (loss)	121,326	132,883
Segment assets	57,250,662	55,770,442
Reportable Segment | PB
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	84,853	90,086
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	11,435	2,065
Non-interest Income	7,120	6,384
Amortization of intangibles	311	311
Depreciation expense	1,943	1,814
Other operating expenses	67,788	63,317
Income tax expense (benefit)	3,456	3,976
Net income (loss)	7,040	24,987
Segment assets	13,686,037	12,147,556
Intersegment Elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	0	1
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0
Non-interest Income	(56)	(136)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Depreciation expense	0	0
Other operating expenses	(56)	(136)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0
Net income (loss)	0	1
Segment assets	(359,383)	(541,534)
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	(6,950)	(8,251)
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	483	(136)
Non-interest Income	11,722	9,714
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Depreciation expense	409	359
Other operating expenses	6,611	230
Income tax expense (benefit)	22,676	(321)
Net income (loss)	(25,407)	1,331
Segment assets	5,723,198	5,803,751
Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	0	0
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0
Non-interest Income	(637)	(1,472)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Depreciation expense	0	0
Other operating expenses	(1,191)	(1,076)
Income tax expense (benefit)	230	(173)
Net income (loss)	324	(223)
Segment assets	$ (5,363,575)	$ (5,504,456)