Fair Value - Schedule of Fair Value Measurements, Liabilities, Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Fair value, beginning of period	$ 83	$ 26
Total realized and unrealized (gains) losses recorded in revenue	23	25
Issuances	(12)	(39)
Settlements	(113)	(7)
Fair value, end of period	5	83
Change in unrealized (gains) losses related to financial instruments held	(7)	35
Derivative instruments, liabilities \| Accrued expenses and other liabilities
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Fair value, beginning of period	83	26
Total realized and unrealized (gains) losses recorded in revenue	23	25
Issuances	(12)	(39)
Settlements	(113)	(7)
Fair value, end of period	5	83
Change in unrealized (gains) losses related to financial instruments held	(7)	35
Foreign exchange contracts \| Accrued expenses and other liabilities
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Fair value, beginning of period	74	17
Total realized and unrealized (gains) losses recorded in revenue	23	25
Issuances	(12)	(39)
Settlements	(104)	(7)
Fair value, end of period	5	74
Change in unrealized (gains) losses related to financial instruments held	(7)	35
Other \| Accrued expenses and other liabilities
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Fair value, beginning of period	9	9
Total realized and unrealized (gains) losses recorded in revenue	0	0
Issuances	0	0
Settlements	(9)	0
Fair value, end of period	0	9
Change in unrealized (gains) losses related to financial instruments held	$ 0	$ 0

Change in Unrealized Gains (Losses) Related to Financial Instruments, Liabilities, Held at Period End

No definition available.

Name:	stt_ChangeInUnrealizedGainsLossesRelatedToFinancialInstrumentsLiabilitiesHeldAtPeriodEnd
Namespace Prefix:	stt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized on the income statement for financial instrument classified as a liability measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityGainLossIncludedInEarnings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of issuances of financial instrument classified as a liability measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityIssues
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of settlements of financial instrument classified as a liability measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilitySettlements
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of financial instrument classified as a liability measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsLiabilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis=stt_AccruedExpensesAndOtherLiabilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_OtherCreditDerivativesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: