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Recorded investment in financing receivables that are on nonaccrual status as of the balance sheet date.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49124121&loc=d3e5111-111524

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The amount of any significant sales of financing receivables during the reporting period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49124121&loc=SL6953423-111524

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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=49124121&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=49124121&loc=d3e5258-111524

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Amount of allowance for credit losses related to recorded investment.

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Amount of investment in impaired financing receivables for which there is no 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=49124121&loc=SL6953550-111524

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

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Reflects the net positive or negative amount derived from subtracting from net proceeds of sale and the carrying amounts, net of allocated reserves, of financial assets transferred to third parties in transactions that qualify for sales treatment.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51814546&loc=d3e107425-111719

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Reflects the amount of additional interest income that would have been recorded if impaired or nonperforming loans were instead current, in compliance with their original terms, and outstanding throughout the reporting period or since origination (if held for part of the period).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25495931&loc=d3e18794-111554

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Loan commitments outstanding on troubled debt restructured loans.

No definition available.

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Loans And Loans Receivable Purchases

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=wal_CommercialAndIndustrialMember
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Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_CommercialRealEstateMember
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