Allowance for credit losses - T D R that subsequently defaulted (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($) loans	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($) loans
Financing Receivable
Loan count \| loans	195	185
Recorded investment as of first default date \| $	$ 6,432	$ 3,730
Mortgages
Financing Receivable
Loan count \| loans	39	8
Recorded investment as of first default date \| $	$ 4,482	$ 745
Commercial \| CRE non-owner occupied
Financing Receivable
Loan count \| loans		1
Recorded investment as of first default date \| $		$ 47
Commercial \| CRE owner occupied
Financing Receivable
Loan count \| loans	2	2
Recorded investment as of first default date \| $	$ 243	$ 427
Commercial \| Commercial and Industrial
Financing Receivable
Loan count \| loans	2	1
Recorded investment as of first default date \| $	$ 40	$ 50
Leasing
Financing Receivable
Loan count \| loans		1
Recorded investment as of first default date \| $		$ 22
Consumer \| Credit cards
Financing Receivable
Loan count \| loans	106	104
Recorded investment as of first default date \| $	$ 859	$ 1,087
Consumer \| Personal loans
Financing Receivable
Loan count \| loans	45	68
Recorded investment as of first default date \| $	$ 808	$ 1,352
Consumer \| Other
Financing Receivable
Loan count \| loans	1
Recorded investment as of first default date \| $	$ 0

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of financing receivable contracts modified as troubled debt restructuring within previous 12 months, with subsequent payment default.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 34
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953682-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultNumberOfContracts1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of financing receivable modified as troubled debt restructuring within previous 12 months, with subsequent payment default.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 34
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953682-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultRecordedInvestment1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_MortgageReceivablesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_CommercialPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=bpop_CommercialRealEstateNonOwnerOccupiedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=bpop_CommercialRealEstateOwnerOccupiedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_CommercialAndIndustrialSectorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_FinanceLeasesPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_ConsumerPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_CreditCardReceivablesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_ConsumerLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=bpop_ConsumerOtherMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: