CAPITAL RESOURCES (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 item	Dec. 31, 2011 item	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2012 Junior Subordinated Debt East West Capital Statutory Trust III	Dec. 31, 2011 Junior Subordinated Debt East West Capital Statutory Trust III	Dec. 31, 2012 Junior Subordinated Debt East West Capital Trust IV	Dec. 31, 2011 Junior Subordinated Debt East West Capital Trust IV	Dec. 31, 2012 Junior Subordinated Debt East West Capital Trust V	Dec. 31, 2011 Junior Subordinated Debt East West Capital Trust V	Dec. 31, 2012 Junior Subordinated Debt East West Capital Trust VI	Dec. 31, 2011 Junior Subordinated Debt East West Capital Trust VI	Dec. 31, 2012 Junior Subordinated Debt East West Capital Trust VII	Dec. 31, 2011 Junior Subordinated Debt East West Capital Trust VII	Dec. 31, 2012 Junior Subordinated Debt East West Capital Trust VIII	Dec. 31, 2011 Junior Subordinated Debt East West Capital Trust VIII	Dec. 31, 2012 Junior Subordinated Debt East West Capital Trust IX	Dec. 31, 2011 Junior Subordinated Debt East West Capital Trust IX	Dec. 31, 2012 Subordinated Debt	Dec. 31, 2005 Subordinated Debt
CAPITAL RESOURCES
Number of statutory business trusts formed for the purpose of issuing junior subordinated debt to third party investors	7
Related statutory business trusts dissolved after repayment of related debt		2
Common stock issued by the Trust of the Company	$ 4,200,000	$ 4,200,000
Minimum total consolidated assets for exclusion of trust preferred securities as Tier I regulatory capital	15,000,000,000		15,000,000,000
Capital Resources
Associated early repayment penalty																		42,000
Stated Interest Rate, base				3-month Libor		3-month Libor		3-month Libor		3-month Libor		3-month Libor		3-month Libor		3-month Libor		3-month Libor
Stated Interest Rate, basis spread (as a percent)				2.85%		2.55%		1.80%		1.50%		1.35%		1.40%		1.90%		1.10%
Interest rate as of reporting date (as a percent)				3.16%		2.87%		2.11%		1.81%		1.66%		1.71%		2.21%
Balance at the end of the period	133,000,000	133,000,000		10,000,000	10,000,000	10,000,000	10,000,000	15,000,000	15,000,000	20,000,000	20,000,000	30,000,000	30,000,000	18,000,000	18,000,000	30,000,000	30,000,000
Issue of debt																			75,000,000
Effective interest rate (as a percent)																		1.60%
Early repayment of subordinated debt																		$ 75,000,000