Mortgage Servicing Rights, Net - Summary of Changes In Carrying Amount of Mortgage Servicing Rights (Detail) - Mortgage Servicing Rights [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Mortgage Servicing Rights
Beginning balance	$ 393,383	$ 381,908	$ 399,349	$ 347,558
Additions	33,901	29,549	65,632	98,814
Purchases	516		2,124	577
Amortization	(20,850)	(19,183)	(60,155)	(54,675)
Ending balance	406,950	392,274	406,950	392,274
Valuation Allowance
Beginning balance	(1,343)	(5,481)	(6,723)	(7,742)
Decrease (increase)	(366)	(658)	5,014	1,603
Ending balance	(1,709)	(6,139)	(1,709)	(6,139)
Net balance	$ 405,241	$ 386,135	$ 405,241	$ 386,135

Servicing asset at amortized value purchases.

No definition available.

Name:	bgcp_ServicingAssetAtAmortizedValuePurchases
Namespace Prefix:	bgcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate amount of servicing assets that are subsequently measured at fair value and servicing assets that are subsequently measured using the amortization method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6469459&loc=d3e122501-111745

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amortized amount of contract to service financial assets under which the benefits of servicing are expected to more than adequately compensate the servicer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68078379&loc=d3e122739-111746

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6469459&loc=d3e122501-111745

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7524895&loc=d3e120260-111741

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6469459&loc=d3e122492-111745

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of additions from purchases, assumption or transfer to contract to service financial assets under which the benefits of servicing are expected to more than adequately compensate the servicer.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of amortization of contract to service financial assets under which the benefits of servicing are expected to more than adequately compensate the servicer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetAtAmortizedValueAmortization1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Reflects the estimated amount of impairment as of the balance sheet date of recognized servicing assets that are being amortized in proportion to and over the period of estimated net servicing income or loss.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

The net increase (decrease) in the valuation allowance for servicing assets subsequently measured using the amortization method.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Period Type:	duration

- Details

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