Name:	ewbc_ChangesInExpectedCashFlows
Namespace Prefix:	ewbc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of the excess of a loan's cash flows expected to be collected over the investor's initial investment in acquired loans not accounted for as debt securities with evidence of deterioration of credit quality.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6379141&loc=d3e15032-111544

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 15
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27045933&loc=d3e13503-111538

Name:	us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYield
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of decrease from accretion of the excess of a loan's cash flows expected to be collected over the investor's initial investment in acquired loans not accounted for as debt securities with evidence of deterioration of credit quality.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 15
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27045933&loc=d3e13503-111538

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6379141&loc=d3e15032-111544

Name:	us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAccretion
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of additions to the excess of a loan's cash flows expected to be collected over the investor's initial investment in acquired loans not accounted for as debt securities with evidence of deterioration of credit quality.

Name:	us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAdditions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

No definition available.