Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Loans	431,286	453,315	1,311,402	1,355,232
Money market investments	2,773	19,119	16,788	70,873
Investment securities	79,142	99,542	243,938	274,819
Total interest and dividend income	513,201	571,976	1,572,128	1,700,924
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	37,554	78,760	142,435	228,035
Short-term borrowings	416	1,572	2,109	4,828
Long-term debt	14,210	14,653	42,587	43,791
Total interest expense	52,180	94,985	187,131	276,654
Net interest income	461,021	476,991	1,384,997	1,424,270
Provision for credit losses - loan portfolios	19,452	36,539	271,551	118,555
Provision (reversal) for credit losses - Investment securities	(314)	0	(233)	0
Net interest income after provision for credit losses	441,883	440,452	1,113,679	1,305,715
Mortgage banking activities	(9,526)	10,492	671	18,645
Net loss on sale of debt securities	41	(20)	41	(20)
Net gain, including impairment on equity securities	5,150	213	4,869	2,174
Net profit on trading account debt securities	20	295	593	977
Net gain on sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale	(2,198)	0	981	0
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	4,183	(3,411)	(1,770)	(1,664)
Other operating income	24,369	22,865	66,673	68,432
Total non-interest income	128,767	142,712	367,465	417,468
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	135,941	147,682	421,938	432,298
Net occupancy expenses	25,907	24,595	76,552	71,431
Equipment expenses	24,088	21,596	66,537	62,624
Other taxes	13,918	14,028	40,922	38,267
Professional fees	96,474	98,561	290,092	281,275
Communications	5,694	5,881	17,222	17,685
Business promotion	14,664	18,365	41,142	52,158
FDIC deposit insurance	6,568	2,923	16,988	13,007
Other real estate owned (OREO) (income) expenses	(1,615)	(185)	520	3,729
Other operating expenses	38,351	40,630	104,647	107,354
Amortization of intangibles	1,076	2,399	5,345	7,082
Total opearating expense	361,066	376,475	1,081,905	1,086,910
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	209,584	206,689	399,239	636,273
Income tax expense	41,168	41,370	68,893	131,923
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed earnings of subdidiaries	168,416	165,319	330,346	504,350
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	168,416	165,319	330,346	504,350
Comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	164,483	217,652	715,700	793,444
Service charges on deposit accounts
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	36,849	40,969	108,671	119,277
Other services
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	69,879	71,309	186,736	209,647
Elimination
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	(2,000)	(102,000)	(584,000)	(356,300)
Loans	0	0	0	0
Money market investments	(116)	(814)	(1,739)	(2,659)
Investment securities	0	0	0	0
Total interest and dividend income	(2,116)	(102,814)	(585,739)	(358,959)
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	(116)	(814)	(1,739)	(2,659)
Short-term borrowings	0	0	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0	0	0
Total interest expense	(116)	(814)	(1,739)	(2,659)
Net interest income	(2,000)	(102,000)	(584,000)	(356,300)
Provision for credit losses - loan portfolios	0	0	0	0
Provision (reversal) for credit losses - Investment securities	0		0
Net interest income after provision for credit losses	(2,000)	(102,000)	(584,000)	(356,300)
Mortgage banking activities	0	0	0	0
Net loss on sale of debt securities	0	0	0	0
Net gain, including impairment on equity securities	3	1	76	(21)
Net profit on trading account debt securities	0	0	0	0
Net gain on sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale	0		0
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	0	0	0	0
Other operating income	(3)	(21)	(13)	(41)
Total non-interest income	(88)	(104)	(2,119)	(1,982)
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	0	0	0	0
Net occupancy expenses	1	0	1	(43)
Equipment expenses	0	0	0	0
Other taxes	0	0	0	0
Professional fees	(89)	(85)	(400)	(414)
Communications	0	0	0	0
Business promotion	0	0	0	0
FDIC deposit insurance	0	0	0	0
Other real estate owned (OREO) (income) expenses	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	(762)	(690)	(2,183)	(1,908)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Total opearating expense	(850)	(775)	(2,582)	(2,365)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	(1,238)	(101,329)	(583,537)	(355,917)
Income tax expense	296	261	151	140
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed earnings of subdidiaries	(1,534)	(101,590)	(583,688)	(356,057)
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	(176,177)	(84,352)	260,687	(199,261)
Net income	(177,711)	(185,942)	(323,001)	(555,318)
Comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(175,833)	(248,464)	(747,679)	(895,748)
Elimination | Service charges on deposit accounts
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	0	0	0	0
Elimination | Other services
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	(88)	(84)	(2,182)	(1,920)
Popular, Inc. Holding Co.
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	2,000	102,000	584,000	356,300
Loans	566	576	1,686	1,661
Money market investments	97	758	1,653	2,498
Investment securities	332	160	651	473
Total interest and dividend income	2,995	103,494	587,990	360,932
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	0	0	0	0
Short-term borrowings	0	0	0	0
Long-term debt	9,632	9,632	28,896	28,896
Total interest expense	9,632	9,632	28,896	28,896
Net interest income	(6,637)	93,862	559,094	332,036
Provision for credit losses - loan portfolios	80	(2)	217	257
Provision (reversal) for credit losses - Investment securities	0		0
Net interest income after provision for credit losses	(6,717)	93,864	558,877	331,779
Mortgage banking activities	0	0	0	0
Net loss on sale of debt securities	0	0	0	0
Net gain, including impairment on equity securities	666	64	654	934
Net profit on trading account debt securities	0	0	0	0
Net gain on sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale	0		0
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	0	0	0	0
Other operating income	6,985	4,626	13,546	13,431
Total non-interest income	7,651	4,690	14,200	14,367
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	15,180	14,207	49,357	46,910
Net occupancy expenses	1,031	1,006	2,967	3,231
Equipment expenses	1,969	917	3,602	2,616
Other taxes	65	61	189	185
Professional fees	17,659	6,370	38,045	13,780
Communications	107	150	398	483
Business promotion	545	754	2,482	2,435
FDIC deposit insurance	0	0	0	0
Other real estate owned (OREO) (income) expenses	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	(37,241)	(24,112)	(97,967)	(69,904)
Amortization of intangibles	24	24	73	73
Total opearating expense	(661)	(623)	(854)	(191)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	1,595	99,177	573,931	346,337
Income tax expense	17	0	17	0
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed earnings of subdidiaries	1,578	99,177	573,914	346,337
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	166,838	66,142	(243,568)	158,013
Net income	168,416	165,319	330,346	504,350
Comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	164,483	217,652	715,700	793,444
Popular, Inc. Holding Co. | Service charges on deposit accounts
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	0	0	0	0
Popular, Inc. Holding Co. | Other services
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	0	0	0	2
PNA Holding Co.
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Loans	0	0	0	0
Money market investments	18	55	86	161
Investment securities	47	46	140	139
Total interest and dividend income	65	101	226	300
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	0	0	0	0
Short-term borrowings	0	0	0	0
Long-term debt	1,557	1,556	4,672	4,671
Total interest expense	1,557	1,556	4,672	4,671
Net interest income	(1,492)	(1,455)	(4,446)	(4,371)
Provision for credit losses - loan portfolios	0	0	0	0
Provision (reversal) for credit losses - Investment securities	0		0
Net interest income after provision for credit losses	(1,492)	(1,455)	(4,446)	(4,371)
Mortgage banking activities	0	0	0	0
Net loss on sale of debt securities	0	0	0	0
Net gain, including impairment on equity securities	0	0	0	0
Net profit on trading account debt securities	0	0	0	0
Net gain on sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale	0		0
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	0	0	0	0
Other operating income	0	(350)	0	(984)
Total non-interest income	0	(350)	0	(984)
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	0	0	0	0
Net occupancy expenses	0	0	0	0
Equipment expenses	2	1	4	3
Other taxes	0	0	1	1
Professional fees	29	13	89	68
Communications	0	0	0	0
Business promotion	0	0	0	0
FDIC deposit insurance	0	0	0	0
Other real estate owned (OREO) (income) expenses	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	13	14	39	43
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Total opearating expense	44	28	133	115
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	(1,536)	(1,833)	(4,579)	(5,470)
Income tax expense	(323)	(385)	(962)	(1,149)
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed earnings of subdidiaries	(1,213)	(1,448)	(3,617)	(4,321)
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	9,339	18,210	(17,119)	41,248
Net income	8,126	16,762	(20,736)	36,927
Comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	9,538	25,872	15,218	85,389
PNA Holding Co. | Service charges on deposit accounts
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	0	0	0	0
PNA Holding Co. | Other services
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	0	0	0	0
All other subsidiaries and eliminations
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Loans	430,720	452,739	1,309,716	1,353,571
Money market investments	2,774	19,120	16,788	70,873
Investment securities	78,763	99,336	243,147	274,207
Total interest and dividend income	512,257	571,195	1,569,651	1,698,651
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	37,670	79,574	144,174	230,694
Short-term borrowings	416	1,572	2,109	4,828
Long-term debt	3,021	3,465	9,019	10,224
Total interest expense	41,107	84,611	155,302	245,746
Net interest income	471,150	486,584	1,414,349	1,452,905
Provision for credit losses - loan portfolios	19,372	36,541	271,334	118,298
Provision (reversal) for credit losses - Investment securities	(314)		(233)
Net interest income after provision for credit losses	452,092	450,043	1,143,248	1,334,607
Mortgage banking activities	(9,526)	10,492	671	18,645
Net loss on sale of debt securities	41	(20)	41	(20)
Net gain, including impairment on equity securities	4,481	148	4,139	1,261
Net profit on trading account debt securities	20	295	593	977
Net gain on sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale	(2,198)		981
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	4,183	(3,411)	(1,770)	(1,664)
Other operating income	17,387	18,610	53,140	56,026
Total non-interest income	121,204	138,476	355,384	406,067
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	120,761	133,475	372,581	385,388
Net occupancy expenses	24,875	23,589	73,584	68,243
Equipment expenses	22,117	20,678	62,931	60,005
Other taxes	13,853	13,967	40,732	38,081
Professional fees	78,875	92,263	252,358	267,841
Communications	5,587	5,731	16,824	17,202
Business promotion	14,119	17,611	38,660	49,723
FDIC deposit insurance	6,568	2,923	16,988	13,007
Other real estate owned (OREO) (income) expenses	(1,615)	(185)	520	3,729
Other operating expenses	76,341	65,418	204,758	179,123
Amortization of intangibles	1,052	2,375	5,272	7,009
Total opearating expense	362,533	377,845	1,085,208	1,089,351
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	210,763	210,674	413,424	651,323
Income tax expense	41,178	41,494	69,687	132,932
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed earnings of subdidiaries	169,585	169,180	343,737	518,391
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	169,585	169,180	343,737	518,391
Comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	166,295	222,592	732,461	810,359
All other subsidiaries and eliminations | Service charges on deposit accounts
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	36,849	40,969	108,671	119,277
All other subsidiaries and eliminations | Other services
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	$ 69,967	$ 71,393	$ 188,918	$ 211,565