Represents 25% of the asset discount (per bid) in true-up payment obligation formula under FDIC loss sharing agreements

No definition available.

Name:	bpop_CalculationPercentAssetDiscountPerBid
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Pre-determined percentages in True-up Payment Obligation Formula under FDIC loss sharing agreements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bpop_FixedPercentageTrueUpPayment
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Intrinsic loss estimate in true-up payment obligation formula under FDIC loss sharing agreements

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bpop_IntrinsicLossEstimate
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Loss share agreements reimbursement term (in years).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bpop_LossShareAgreementsReimbursementTerm
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Loss Sharing Agreement Allocation Percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bpop_LossSharingAgreementAllocationPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Loss sharing term (in years).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bpop_LossSharingTerm
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents 20% of intrinsic loss estimate of $4.6 billion in true-up payment obligation formula under FDIC loss sharing agreements

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bpop_PercentCalculationIntrinsicLossEstimate
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reverse of the impact of accelerated amortization expense recorded in prior periods. This amount will be recognized as expense over the remaining portion of the Loss Sharing Agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bpop_ReversalOfAcceleratedFdicIndemnificationAssetAccretionOfDiscount
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period length used to calculate each servicing amount in true-up payment formula under FDIC loss sharing agreements

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bpop_ServicingAmountPeriodTrueupPayment
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Term to make true-up payment under the FDIC loss sharing agreements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bpop_TrueUpPaymentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	bpop_PercentagesTrueUpPaymentAxis=bpop_AssetDiscountTrueupPaymentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	bpop_PercentagesTrueUpPaymentAxis=bpop_CumulativeSharedLossPaymentsTrueupPaymentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	bpop_PercentagesTrueUpPaymentAxis=bpop_IntrinsicLossEstimateTrueupPaymentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	bpop_PercentagesTrueUpPaymentAxis=bpop_PaymentPercentageTrueUpPaymentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	bpop_PercentagesTrueUpPaymentAxis=bpop_ServicingPercentageTrueupPaymentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=bpop_FederalDepositInsuranceCorporationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=bpop_BancoPopularDePuertoRicoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

FDIC loss share - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015 D	Mar. 31, 2014
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
True Up Payment Term	45bpop_TrueUpPaymentTerm
Calculation Percent Asset Discount Per Bid	$ 1,100,000,000
Intrinsic Loss Estimate	4,600,000,000bpop_IntrinsicLossEstimate
Servicing Amount Period Trueup Payment	twelve-month period
Reversal of accelerated FDIC Indemnification Asset, Accretion of Discount	0	0
Payment Percentage True Up Payment [Member]
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Fixed Percentage True Up Payment	50.00%
Intrinsic Loss Estimate Trueup Payment [Member]
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Percent Calculation Intrinsic Loss Estimate	$ 925,000,000
Fixed Percentage True Up Payment	20.00%
Asset Discount Trueup Payment [Member]
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Fixed Percentage True Up Payment	25.00%
Cumulative Shared Loss Payments Trueup Payment [Member]
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Fixed Percentage True Up Payment	25.00%
Servicing Percentage Trueup Payment [Member]
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Fixed Percentage True Up Payment	1.00%
Banco Popular De Puerto Rico [Member]
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Loss Sharing Agreement Allocation Percentage	80.00%
Banco Popular De Puerto Rico [Member] \| Other Consumer And Commercial Loans [Member]
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Loss Share Agreements Reimbursement Term	8
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation [Member]
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Loss Sharing Agreement Allocation Percentage	80.00%
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation [Member] \| Residential Mortgage
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Loss Sharing Term	10
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation [Member] \| Other Consumer And Commercial Loans [Member]
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Loss Sharing Term	5