Name:	bpop_CommonEquityTier1BasedCapitalMinimumRequirementRatio
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount of total capital as defined by regulatory framework.

Name:	us-gaap_Capital
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of minimum total risk-based capital required for capital adequacy as defined by regulatory framework.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 505
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477270/942-505-50-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 505
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477270/942-505-50-1B

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalRequiredForCapitalAdequacy
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Ratio of minimum total risk-based capital to risk-weighted assets required for capital adequacy as defined by regulatory framework.

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalRequiredForCapitalAdequacyToRiskWeightedAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Ratio of total risk-based capital to risk-weighted assets as defined by regulatory framework.

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalToRiskWeightedAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount of Common Equity Tier 1 risk-based capital as defined by regulatory framework.

Name:	us-gaap_CommonEquityTierOneCapital
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Ratio of Common Equity Tier 1 risk-based capital to risk-weighted assets as defined by regulatory framework.

Name:	us-gaap_CommonEquityTierOneCapitalRatio
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount of minimum Common Equity Tier 1 risk-based capital required for capital adequacy as defined by regulatory framework.

Name:	us-gaap_CommonEquityTierOneCapitalRequiredForCapitalAdequacy
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

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.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 505
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477270/942-505-50-1B

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 505
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477270/942-505-50-1

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

Amount of Tier 1 leverage capital as defined by regulatory framework.

Name:	us-gaap_TierOneLeverageCapital
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of minimum Tier 1 leverage capital required for capital adequacy as defined by regulatory framework.

Name:	us-gaap_TierOneLeverageCapitalRequiredForCapitalAdequacy
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Ratio of minimum Tier 1 leverage capital to average assets required for capital adequacy as defined by regulatory framework.

Name:	us-gaap_TierOneLeverageCapitalRequiredForCapitalAdequacyToAverageAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Ratio of Tier 1 capital to average assets as defined by regulatory framework.

Name:	us-gaap_TierOneLeverageCapitalToAverageAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount of Tier 1 risk-based capital as defined by regulatory framework.

Name:	us-gaap_TierOneRiskBasedCapital
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of minimum Tier 1 risk-based capital required for capital adequacy as defined by regulatory framework.

Name:	us-gaap_TierOneRiskBasedCapitalRequiredForCapitalAdequacy
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Ratio of minimum Tier 1 risk-based capital to risk-weighted assets required for capital adequacy as defined by regulatory framework.

Name:	us-gaap_TierOneRiskBasedCapitalRequiredForCapitalAdequacyToRiskWeightedAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Ratio of Tier 1 risk-based capital to risk-weighted assets as defined by regulatory framework.

Name:	us-gaap_TierOneRiskBasedCapitalToRiskWeightedAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Name:	bpop_CapitalAdequacyMinimumRequirementPlusCapitalConservationBufferBaselAxis=bpop_CapitalAdequacyMinimumRequirementPlusCapitalConservationBufferbaselMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_CorporateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=bpop_BancoPopularDePuertoRicoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: