What is the fee difference between SIVR and SLV?

SIVR charges 0.30% a year and SLV charges 0.50%. On a $10,000 position that is about $30 for SIVR and $50 for SLV, so SIVR saves roughly $20 a year. Since both trusts hold the same metal and follow the same reference price, this fee gap is the main long-term difference in expected returns.

What do SIVR and SLV hold?

Both hold physical silver bullion in secure vaults and track the LBMA Silver Price. Neither owns silver-mining stocks, futures or other securities. Each share represents a fractional interest in the trust's silver, so the share price is designed to follow spot silver minus the accumulated expense ratio.

Do SIVR and SLV overlap?

Fully. Both are physically backed silver trusts with no stock holdings, so there is no list of companies to compare. Owning both simply gives you silver exposure through two different sponsors, aberdeen for SIVR and BlackRock for SLV, at two different fee levels.

Do SIVR or SLV pay dividends?

No. Silver is a metal and produces no cash flow, so neither trust pays dividends or interest. Returns come entirely from changes in the silver price. The expense ratio is paid by selling small amounts of silver, which means the metal backing each share declines slowly over time, faster for SLV at 0.50% than SIVR at 0.30%.

Which trust suits which investor?

SIVR's lower 0.30% fee tends to suit long-term holders, because the saving compounds every year. SLV, with $32.81 billion in assets and a track record dating to 2006, is often preferred by investors who want the largest and most established silver trust. Both provide the same underlying exposure to silver.

How do SIVR and SLV compare on size and liquidity?

SLV is far larger with $32.81 billion in net assets versus $4.69 billion for SIVR. Both are large enough for typical retail trades, but SLV's size generally means more shares change hands each day. Investors making very large or frequent trades may find the bigger trust more convenient.

How are silver trusts taxed?

Rules differ by country and account type. In some jurisdictions physically backed precious metal trusts are taxed differently from ordinary equity ETFs, sometimes as collectibles rather than shares. Holding them in a tax-advantaged account may change the treatment. Read the trust's tax information and consult a qualified adviser for your situation.

Can I hold both SIVR and SLV?

You can, but it adds no diversification because both track the same LBMA Silver Price with physical metal. Some investors keep an existing SLV position to avoid realizing a gain and direct new purchases to SIVR for the lower fee. Otherwise, one silver trust is usually enough.

Why is silver considered more volatile than gold?

Silver has a large industrial demand component alongside its role as a store of value, and its market is smaller than gold's. That mix tends to produce bigger price swings in both directions. Investors in SIVR or SLV should expect the share price to move more sharply than a gold trust over similar periods.

SIVR vs SLV

Two funds, one decision: we compare cost, performance and what each ETF actually holds in September 2026.

abrdn Physical Silver Shares ETF (SIVR) and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) both hold physical silver and track the LBMA Silver Price. SIVR charges 0.30% a year on $4.69 billion in assets, while SLV charges 0.50% on $32.81 billion. SIVR suits cost-conscious long-term holders; SLV suits investors who prioritize the larger, longer-established trust. Educational content, not financial advice.

abrdn Physical Silver Shares ETF (SIVR) and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) both hold physical silver and track the LBMA Silver Price. SIVR charges 0.30% a year on $4.69 billion in assets, while SLV charge...

Fund Snapshot

Key Fund Metrics

SIVR

Metric

SLV

0.30%

Expense Ratio

0.50%

–

Dividend Yield

–

$4.69B

Net Assets

$32.81B

–

Holdings

–

Jul 24, 2009

Inception Date

Apr 21, 2006

LBMA Silver Price

Index Tracked

LBMA Silver Price

Commodities Focused

Fund Category

Commodities Focused

SIVR costs about $20.00 less per year for every $10,000 invested.

Shared Top Holdings

These funds do not share any of their top holdings.

Discover More Comparisons

SIVR vs SLVP

Compare SIVR and SLVP ETFs on expense ratios, net assets, dividend yields, and index focus. Explore how each fund tracks the silver market for research.

ICOP vs SLV

Compare ICOP and SLV on fees, holdings and dividends. ICOP tracks copper miners at 0.47%, while SLV focuses on silver commodities at 0.50% expense.

PSLV vs SLV

PSLV vs SLV compared: two physical silver trusts charging 0.52% and 0.50% a year. See the fee difference, structure, fund size and how each tracks silver.

Investment Analysis

SIVR

Pros

Lower expense ratio of 0.30%, or $30 a year per $10,000 invested
Holds physical silver and tracks the same LBMA Silver Price as SLV
Saves $20 a year per $10,000 compared with SLV for identical metal exposure

Considerations

Much smaller trust at $4.69 billion versus $32.81 billion for SLV
Launched in July 2009, three years after SLV
Pays no dividends, as silver generates no income

SLV

Pros

Largest silver trust in this comparison with $32.81 billion in net assets
Trading since April 2006, giving it a long track record
Tracks the LBMA Silver Price with physical silver held in vaults

Considerations

Expense ratio of 0.50% is higher than SIVR's 0.30%
Costs $50 a year per $10,000 invested, $20 more than SIVR
No income, so the higher fee is a direct drag on returns

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About SIVR and SLV

SIVR (SIVR)

SLV (SLV)

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