Commitments, Guarantees, and Contingencies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended				0 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					108 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Aug. 31, 2009 customer	Sep. 30, 2013 State Street Global Advisors claim	Aug. 31, 2009 Securities Finance	Sep. 30, 2013 Securities Finance	Jun. 30, 2013 Securities Finance	Sep. 30, 2010 Securities Finance	Oct. 31, 2010 Foreign Exchange	Sep. 30, 2013 Foreign Exchange	Dec. 31, 2012 Foreign Exchange	Dec. 31, 2011 Foreign Exchange	Dec. 31, 2010 Foreign Exchange	Dec. 31, 2009 Foreign Exchange	Dec. 31, 2008 Foreign Exchange	Dec. 31, 2009 Foreign Exchange	Sep. 30, 2013 Shareholder Litigation shareholder complaint	Sep. 30, 2013 Transition Management Legal Reserve	Sep. 30, 2013 Investment Servicing Legal Reserve	Jun. 30, 2013 Investment Servicing Legal Reserve	Sep. 30, 2013 Accrued expenses and other liabilities	Dec. 31, 2012 Accrued expenses and other liabilities	Sep. 30, 2013 Minimum State Street Global Advisors	Sep. 30, 2013 Maximum State Street Global Advisors
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Unfunded commitments to extend credit	$ 19,980,000,000	$ 17,860,000,000
Unfunded commitments to extend credit, short term	75.00%
Percent of fair market value that must be maintained in collateral	100.00%
Cash collateral provided for securities lending	9,760,000,000	6,830,000,000
Cash collateral received in connection to securities finance activities																					6,390,000,000	4,990,000,000
Number of pending claims				2
Alleged excess fees paid																							145,000,000	237,000,000
Number of suits from related participants of agency securities lending program			2
Loss contingency, damages sought, value					120,000,000
The difference between the amortized cost and market value of the in-kind distribution								49,000,000
Realized loss on sales of securities							11,300,000
Litigation reserve				15,000,000		10,000,000
Actual damages asserted by attorney general																100,000,000
Settlement, amount									12,000,000
Estimated indirect foreign exchange revenue										223,000,000	248,000,000	331,000,000	336,000,000	369,000,000	462,000,000
Shareholder related class action complaints pending in Boston Federal Court																	3
Number of class action complaints pending in Boston Federal Court brought on behalf of State Street shareholders																	1
Number of class action complaints pending in Boston Federal Court brought on behalf of State Street participants and benficiaries of State Street Salary Savings Program																	2
Legal reserves																		13,400,000	6,500,000	9,000,000
Unrecognized tax benefits	$ 116,000,000	$ 95,000,000