Segment reporting - Results of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023	Dec. 31, 2023
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	$ 572,473	$ 534,020	$ 1,691,529	$ 1,597,344
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	71,448	45,117	190,840	129,946
Non-interest Income	164,082	159,549	494,206	481,981
Amortization of intangibles	704	795	2,233	2,385
Goodwill impairment losses	0	23,000	0	23,000
Depreciation expense	15,471	15,223	46,720	43,180
Other operating expenses	451,146	426,966	1,371,057	1,298,390
Income tax expense (benefit)	42,463	45,859	138,490	135,676
Net income (loss)	155,323	136,609	436,395	446,748
Segment assets	71,323,074	69,736,936	71,323,074	69,736,936	$ 70,758,155
Banco Popular de Puerto Rico
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment losses			0	0
PB
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment losses			0	23,000
Reportable Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	581,136	541,325	1,713,426	1,621,809
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	71,448	45,255	190,382	130,280
Non-interest Income	155,839	150,451	466,926	453,727
Amortization of intangibles	704	795	2,233	2,385
Goodwill impairment losses	0	23,000	0	23,000
Depreciation expense	15,086	14,842	45,559	42,085
Other operating expenses	452,583	427,945	1,367,514	1,301,927
Income tax expense (benefit)	42,536	46,219	116,727	137,180
Net income (loss)	154,618	133,720	457,937	438,679
Segment assets	70,952,274	69,397,530	70,952,274	69,397,530
Reportable Segment | Banco Popular de Puerto Rico
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	488,008	453,879	1,449,594	1,356,774
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	77,514	51,899	188,576	126,952
Non-interest Income	149,050	144,691	447,073	435,966
Amortization of intangibles	394	484	1,302	1,453
Goodwill impairment losses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation expense	13,023	12,880	39,349	36,424
Other operating expenses	390,227	369,738	1,170,263	1,119,522
Income tax expense (benefit)	30,064	40,861	92,810	120,996
Net income (loss)	125,836	122,708	404,367	387,393
Segment assets	56,906,693	57,039,000	56,906,693	57,039,000
Reportable Segment | PB
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	93,128	87,445	263,832	265,033
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	(6,066)	(6,644)	1,806	3,328
Non-interest Income	6,789	5,894	19,909	18,165
Amortization of intangibles	310	311	931	932
Goodwill impairment losses	0	23,000	0	23,000
Depreciation expense	2,063	1,962	6,210	5,661
Other operating expenses	62,356	58,341	197,307	182,809
Income tax expense (benefit)	12,472	5,358	23,917	16,184
Net income (loss)	28,782	11,011	53,570	51,284
Segment assets	14,306,045	12,806,630	14,306,045	12,806,630
Intersegment Elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	0	1	0	2
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Non-interest Income	0	(134)	(56)	(404)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment losses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation expense	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	0	(134)	(56)	(404)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	0	1	0	2
Segment assets	(260,464)	(448,100)	(260,464)	(448,100)
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Interest income (expense)	(8,663)	(7,305)	(21,897)	(24,465)
Provision for credit losses (benefit)	0	(138)	458	(334)
Non-interest Income	8,876	10,179	31,314	32,905
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment losses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation expense	385	381	1,161	1,095
Other operating expenses	(391)	180	7,004	(146)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(279)	(396)	21,921	(1,006)
Net income (loss)	498	2,847	(21,127)	8,831
Segment assets	5,887,340	5,554,370	5,887,340	5,554,370
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	(633)	(1,081)	(4,034)	(4,651)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment losses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation expense	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	(1,046)	(1,159)	(3,461)	(3,391)
Income tax expense (benefit)	206	36	(158)	(498)
Net income (loss)	207	42	(415)	(762)
Segment assets	$ (5,516,540)	$ (5,214,964)	$ (5,516,540)	$ (5,214,964)