Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableImpairedLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Average amount of investment of impaired financing receivables with related allowance for credit losses and without a related allowance for credit losses.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=d3e5212-111524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 17
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=d3e5258-111524

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

Amount of interest income recognized that the financing receivables (with related allowance for credit losses and without a related allowance for credit losses) were impaired.

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

Amount of investment of impaired financing receivables with related allowance for credit losses and without a related allowance for credit losses.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 14A
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=SL6953550-111524

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

Amount of allowance for credit losses related to recorded investment.

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRelatedAllowance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of unpaid principal balance of impaired financing receivables with related allowance for credit losses and without related allowance for credit losses.

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

Amount of investment in impaired financing receivables for which there is no related allowance for credit losses.

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

Amount of investment in impaired financing receivables for which there is a related allowance for credit losses.

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

Name:	us-gaap_ReceivablesAcquiredWithDeterioratedCreditQualityAxis=ewbc_ReceivablesOriginatedOrAcquiredWithoutDeterioratedCreditQualityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_CommercialPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=ewbc_CommercialAndIndustrialLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_CommercialRealEstateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_RealEstateLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis=us-gaap_MultifamilyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=ewbc_ConstructionAndLandLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_ConsumerPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis=us-gaap_SingleFamilyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_HomeEquityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: