Name:	bpop_GainLossOnRepurchaseOfLoans
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

The net income attributable to mortgage banking activities. This includes net servicing income and market valuations related to mortgage servicing rights and mortgage banking derivatives. It also includes gain on sales and securitizations of residential mortgage loans, losses on repurchased loans, including interest advances, and trading gains and losses on derivative contracts used to hedge the Corporation's securitization activities.

No definition available.

Name:	bpop_MortgageBankingActivities
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The total amount of contractually specified mortgage servicing fees earned for each period for which results of operations are presented. Depending on the servicing contract, those fees may include some or all of the difference between the interest rate collected on the mortgage loan being serviced and the rate to be paid to the beneficial owners of the asset.

No definition available.

Name:	bpop_MortgageServicingFeesExcludingFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Mortgage servicing fees, net of fair value adjustments

No definition available.

Name:	bpop_MortgageServicingFeesNetOfFairValueAdjustments
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The difference between the book value and the sale price of options, swaps, futures, forward contracts, and other derivative instruments. This element refers to the gain (loss) included in earnings.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123570139&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.13(h))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120399700&loc=SL114874048-224260

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

The net gain (loss) resulting from a sale of loans, including adjustments to record loans classified as held-for-sale at the lower-of-cost-or-market and fair value adjustments to loan held for investment purposes.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.13(h))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120399700&loc=SL114874048-224260

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123570139&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.3(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400993&loc=SL114874131-224263

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

The adjustment to the carrying value of the rights retained or purchased to service mortgages. These adjustments are made when the estimate of the fair value is changed. This element is a noncash adjustment to net income when calculating net cash generated by operating activities using the indirect method.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123570139&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)(6)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=125521744&loc=d3e122739-111746

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

Amount of gain (loss) resulting from the difference between the acquisition price and the selling price or fair value of trading assets and trading liabilities, conducted separately from customer trading activities. Includes, but is not limited to, changes in fair value of trading assets and trading liabilities.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4F
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=125515794&loc=SL5624186-113959

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 940
-SubTopic 320
-Section 35
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35711043&loc=d3e42454-110968

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 940
-SubTopic 320
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35711157&loc=d3e42567-110969

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.13(e))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120399700&loc=SL114874048-224260

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

The net change in the difference between the fair value and the carrying value, or in the comparative fair values, of derivative instruments, including options, swaps, futures, and forward contracts, held at each balance sheet date, that was included in earnings for the period.