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Fair value measurement - Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	$ 22,335,167	$ 21,561,152
Mortgage servicing rights	119,467	118,395	$ 141,144	$ 150,906
US Treasury Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	11,979,314	10,788,040
Obligations of U.S. Government sponsored entities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	90	60,184
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	282,922	392,132
Mortgage Backed Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	10,072,665	10,320,561
Other
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	176	235
Recurring
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	22,335,167	21,561,152
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	35,931	36,674
Equity securities at fair value	33,781	29,590
Mortgage servicing rights	119,467	118,395
Derivatives	23,573	20,785
Total assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis	22,547,919	21,766,596
Liabilities
Derivatives	(20,960)	(18,925)
Total	(20,960)	(18,925)
Recurring \| US Treasury Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	11,979,314	10,788,040
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	10,060	11,506
Recurring \| Obligations of U.S. Government sponsored entities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	90	60,184
Recurring \| Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	96	103
Recurring \| Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	282,922	392,132
Recurring \| CMO
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	314	346
Recurring \| Mortgage Backed Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	10,072,665	10,320,561
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	25,100	24,338
Recurring \| Other
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	176	235
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	361	381
Recurring \| Level 1
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	399,994	3,499,781
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	10,060	11,506
Equity securities at fair value	0	0
Mortgage servicing rights	0	0
Derivatives	0	0
Total assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis	410,054	3,511,287
Liabilities
Derivatives	0	0
Total	0	0
Recurring \| Level 1 \| US Treasury Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	399,994	3,499,781
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	10,060	11,506
Recurring \| Level 1 \| Obligations of U.S. Government sponsored entities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Recurring \| Level 1 \| Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 1 \| Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Recurring \| Level 1 \| CMO
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 1 \| Mortgage Backed Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 1 \| Other
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 2
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	21,934,235	18,060,357
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	25,260	24,509
Equity securities at fair value	33,781	29,590
Mortgage servicing rights	0	0
Derivatives	23,573	20,785
Total assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis	22,016,849	18,135,241
Liabilities
Derivatives	(20,960)	(18,925)
Total	(20,960)	(18,925)
Recurring \| Level 2 \| US Treasury Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	11,579,320	7,288,259
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Obligations of U.S. Government sponsored entities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	90	60,184
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	96	103
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	282,922	392,132
Recurring \| Level 2 \| CMO
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	64	68
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Mortgage Backed Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	10,071,727	10,319,547
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	25,100	24,338
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Other
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	176	235
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 3
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	938	1,014
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	611	659
Equity securities at fair value	0	0
Mortgage servicing rights	119,467	118,395
Derivatives	0	0
Total assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis	121,016	120,068
Liabilities
Derivatives	0	0
Total	0	0
Recurring \| Level 3 \| US Treasury Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 3 \| Obligations of U.S. Government sponsored entities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Recurring \| Level 3 \| Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 3 \| Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Recurring \| Level 3 \| CMO
Assets
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	250	278	442
Recurring \| Level 3 \| Mortgage Backed Securities
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	938	1,014
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	0	0
Recurring \| Level 3 \| Other
Assets
Debt Securities Available for sale, at fair value	0	0
Trading account debt securities, excluding derivatives	$ 361	$ 381	$ 423