Segment reporting - Results of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2024	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2024	Jun. 30, 2023	Dec. 31, 2023
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	$ 568,312	$ 531,668	$ 1,119,056	$ 1,063,324
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	46,794	37,192	119,392	84,829
Non-interest Income	166,306	160,471	330,124	322,432
Amortization of intangibles	734	795	1,529	1,590
Depreciation expense	15,888	14,115	31,249	27,957
Other operating expenses	452,954	445,374	919,911	871,424
Income tax expense (benefit)	40,459	43,503	96,027	89,817
Net income (loss)	177,789	151,160	281,072	310,139
Segment assets	72,845,072	70,838,266	72,845,072	70,838,266	$ 70,758,155
Reportable Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	574,596	540,577	1,132,290	1,080,484
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	46,819	37,252	118,934	85,025
Non-interest Income	158,354	149,557	311,087	303,276
Amortization of intangibles	734	795	1,529	1,590
Depreciation expense	15,521	13,760	30,473	27,243
Other operating expenses	453,394	447,086	914,931	873,982
Income tax expense (benefit)	41,529	44,153	74,191	90,961
Net income (loss)	174,953	147,088	303,319	304,959
Segment assets	72,488,107	70,499,794	72,488,107	70,499,794
Reportable Segment | Banco Popular de Puerto Rico
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	488,745	453,075	961,586	902,895
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	50,382	29,345	111,062	75,053
Non-interest Income	152,354	143,804	298,023	291,275
Amortization of intangibles	424	485	908	969
Depreciation expense	13,317	11,875	26,326	23,544
Other operating expenses	386,231	386,069	780,036	749,784
Income tax expense (benefit)	33,540	37,303	62,746	80,135
Net income (loss)	157,205	131,802	278,531	264,685
Segment assets	58,464,408	58,392,177	58,464,408	58,392,177
Reportable Segment | PB
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	85,851	87,502	170,704	177,588
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(3,563)	7,907	7,872	9,972
Non-interest Income	6,000	5,887	13,120	12,271
Amortization of intangibles	310	310	621	621
Depreciation expense	2,204	1,885	4,147	3,699
Other operating expenses	67,163	61,151	134,951	124,468
Income tax expense (benefit)	7,989	6,850	11,445	10,826
Net income (loss)	17,748	15,286	24,788	40,273
Segment assets	14,287,739	12,549,742	14,287,739	12,549,742
Intersegment Elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	0	0	0	1
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Non-interest Income	0	(134)	(56)	(270)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Depreciation expense	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	0	(134)	(56)	(270)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	0	0	0	1
Segment assets	(264,040)	(442,125)	(264,040)	(442,125)
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	(6,284)	(8,909)	(13,234)	(17,160)
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(25)	(60)	458	(196)
Non-interest Income	10,716	13,012	22,438	22,726
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Depreciation expense	367	355	776	714
Other operating expenses	784	(556)	7,395	(326)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(476)	(289)	22,200	(610)
Net income (loss)	3,782	4,653	(21,625)	5,984
Segment assets	5,828,667	5,844,554	5,828,667	5,844,554
Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Non-interest Income	(2,764)	(2,098)	(3,401)	(3,570)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Depreciation expense	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	(1,224)	(1,156)	(2,415)	(2,232)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(594)	(361)	(364)	(534)
Net income (loss)	(946)	(581)	(622)	(804)
Segment assets	$ (5,471,702)	$ (5,506,082)	$ (5,471,702)	$ (5,506,082)