Tesla
Dividend Calendar
Stock Rankings
ETF Rankings
Crypto Rankings
5.0
iShares Silver Trust (SLV) is an exchange-traded fund that seeks to reflect the performance of the price of physical silver, one of the major precious metals used as a store of value and protection against macroeconomic uncertainty. The ETF is managed by BlackRock and trades under the ticker SLV on NYSE Arca.
Classified as a commodity-based alternative investment ETF, SLV aims to track, before fees and expenses, the performance of the spot price of silver. To achieve this objective, the fund holds physical silver bullion in custody in secure vaults, seeking to closely replicate the behavior of the metal in global markets.
The reference price for SLV is based on the spot value of silver, adjusted for operational costs related to custody, storage, and administration, with periodic reviews in line with mark-to-market methodology.
Diversification and sector exposure
SLV provides direct exposure to the price of physical silver, a metal with important industrial uses and store-of-value characteristics. This structure gives the ETF qualities of value preservation, potential inflation hedge, and portfolio diversification outside traditional equity markets.
Structure and costs
Shares of SLV are traded on the secondary market, while creation and redemption of shares are carried out by authorized participants, a mechanism that helps keep the ETF’s market price close to the value of the metal held, adjusted for costs.
The fund carries a competitive expense ratio, typical of commodity-based ETFs, and does not charge a performance fee. SLV does not distribute income, as the physical metal does not generate cash flow. The ETF has a single share class and trades exclusively under the ticker SLV.
History and evolution of the ETF
The iShares Silver Trust was launched in 2006, during a period of growing investor interest in instruments that provide exposure to precious metals through exchange-traded vehicles.
Since its inception, SLV has established itself as one of the leading silver ETFs in the world, widely used by institutional and individual investors as a way to access the price of the metal without direct physical custody.
Between 2010 and 2024, the ETF reflected significant movements in the price of silver driven by macroeconomic events such as financial crises, expansionary monetary policies, and geopolitical tensions, while maintaining high liquidity and broad global acceptance.
