Note 20 - Condensed Financial Information of Cathay General Bancorp - Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2025	Dec. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	May 31, 2014
Assets [Abstract]
Equity securities	$ 51,886,000	$ 34,429,000
Other Assets	222,378,000	291,831,000
Total assets	24,229,575,000	23,054,681,000
Liabilities [Abstract]
Junior subordinated debt	119,136	119,136			$ 119,100,000
Other Liabilities	232,815,000	280,990,000
Total liabilities	21,304,187,000	20,208,977,000
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders' equity
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized, 91,803,148 issued and 67,200,216 outstanding at December 31, 2025, and 91,615,458 issued and 70,863,324 outstanding at December 31, 2024	918,000	916,000
Additional paid-in-capital	1,001,401,000	993,962,000
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net	(54,400,000)	(85,607,000)
Retained earnings	2,909,677,000	2,688,353,000
Total equity	2,925,388,000	2,845,704,000	$ 2,736,575,000	$ 2,474,040,000
Total liabilities and equity	24,229,575,000	23,054,681,000
Parent Company [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Cash	16,907,000	50,174,000
Short-term certificates of deposit	336,000	336,000
Equity securities	21,011,000	25,171,000
Other Assets	3,786,000	3,747,000
Total assets	3,055,267,000	2,978,006,000
Liabilities [Abstract]
Junior subordinated debt	119,136,000	119,136,000
Other Liabilities	10,743,000	13,166,000
Total liabilities	129,879,000	132,302,000
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders' equity
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized, 91,803,148 issued and 67,200,216 outstanding at December 31, 2025, and 91,615,458 issued and 70,863,324 outstanding at December 31, 2024	918,000	916,000
Additional paid-in-capital	1,001,401,000	993,962,000
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net	(54,400,000)	(85,607,000)
Retained earnings	2,909,677,000	2,688,353,000
Treasury stock, at cost (24,603,022 shares at December 31, 2025, and 20,752,134 shares at December 31, 2024)	(932,208,000)	(751,920,000)
Total equity	2,925,388,000	2,845,704,000
Total liabilities and equity	3,055,267,000	2,978,006,000
Parent Company [Member] \| Bank Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Investment in subsidiaries	3,013,159,000	2,898,510,000
Parent Company [Member] \| Non Bank Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Investment in subsidiaries	$ 68,000	$ 68,000

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP 10-K