Information Popular Inc. shares of common stock held by the plans (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Number of Shares of Equity Securities Issued by Employer and Related Parties Included in Plan Assets	274,572	274,572
Defined Benefit Plan, Amount of Employer and Related Party Securities Included in Plan Assets	$ 9,349,177	$ 7,888,454
Defined Benefit Plan Amount Of Dividends Received On Employer And Related Party Securities	$ 0	$ 0

Dividends eceived on related party securities in employer benefit plan

No definition available.

Name:	bpop_DefinedBenefitPlanAmountOfDividendsReceivedOnEmployerAndRelatedPartySecurities
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of employer securities or securities of parties related to the employer that are included in plan assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (n)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

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

- Details

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

- Definition

The number of employer shares or related party shares included in plan assets.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanNumberOfSharesOfEquitySecuritiesIssuedByEmployerAndRelatedPartiesIncludedInPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant