Investors looking for exposure to the silver price and silver-mining companies should consider silver exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
Spurred by moves in the gold market, safe haven buying as well as increasing demand from industrial sectors, silver saw strong price movements in the first half of 2025, breaching US$37 per ounce for the first time since 2011.
While silver has often been seen as a more approachable precious metal owing to its lower per ounce price, its performance has lagged gains seen in the gold price over the past few years. However, silver stole some of the spotlight in the second quarter of 2025 as it saw significant gains on the back of geopolitical tension and economic uncertainty from the US trade and tariff policy.
Like gold, investors can gain exposure to silver in several ways that each offer their own pros and cons, along with differing costs and risks. For example, investors can purchase physical silver bars or coins, or invest in silver futures.
Another way for investors to diversify their portfolio with silver is to invest ETFs. These products work similarly to mutual funds in that they pool investor resources into an asset. However, as their name suggests, ETFs are traded on exchanges like stocks, making them more accessible to investors.
While ETFs aren’t without risk, they can offer a more stable investment compared to individual stocks thanks to their diversification and the fact that they are often managed and rebalanced.
Silver ETFs come in several forms, such as ones that hold physical silver and ones that hold silver mining, royalty and exploration stocks. Investors looking to start trading silver ETFs should be aware of the options available to them to determine which silver ETF will best suit their precious metals investing needs and risk tolerance.
Here’s a brief look at 10 of the top silver ETFs by total assets. The first five ETFs offer exposure to the price of silver, while the last five provide exposure to silver-mining stocks.
Assets and prices for these silver ETFs were collected on June 17, using data from the funds’ web pages, and performance data is accurate for the end of Q1 2025.
5 ETFs for exposure to the silver price
1. iShares Silver Trust (ARCA:SLV)
Total assets: US$17.21 billion
Unit price: US$33.06
The iShares Silver Trust provides investors with access to the silver price performance, using the London Bullion Market Association silver price as its benchmark.
As the iShares Silver Trust’s web page warns, it is not an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, or a commodity pool under the Commodity Exchange Act. Because of this, it is not subject to the regulatory requirements that apply to mutual funds or ETFs.
This trust holds 471 million ounces silver bullion and has a five year average annual total return of 18.99 percent.
2. Sprott Physical Silver Trust (ARCA:PSLV,TSX:PSLV)
Total assets: US$7.12 billion
Unit price: US$12.84
The Sprott Physical Silver Trust is an option for investors looking for the security of physical silver without the need to find secure storage.
The ETF is backed by 191.12 million ounces of silver held in trust in fully allocated London Good Delivery silver bars. Additionally, the ETF is fully convertible into physical silver, should investors decide they want the precious metal on hand. However, the fund states that holders ‘must have enough units to equate to ten 1000 oz silver bars.’
The average annual five-year return based on net asset value for the Sprott Physical Silver Trust is 11.67 percent.
3. Aberdeen Standard Physical Silver Shares ETF (ARCA:SIVR)
Total assets: US$1.92 billion
Unit price: US$34.68
The Aberdeen Standard Physical Silver Shares ETF’s investment objective is for its shares to reflect the performance of the silver price less the expenses of the trust’s operations. It has an expense ratio of 0.3 percent. This ETF comes with the same warnings as the iShares Silver Trust.
The fund is backed with 45.51 million ounces of silver held with JPMorgan Chase Bank in London in a secured vault. Its five year average annual return comes in at 13.12 percent based on net asset value.
4. ProShares Ultra Silver ETF (ARCA:AGQ)
Total assets: US$717.99 million
Unit price: US$48.69
Set up in December 2008 by ProShares, the ProShares Ultra Silver ETF was designed to offer daily investment results that correspond with twice the daily performance of the Bloomberg Silver Subindex. Because of this, the ETF is aimed at investors who are bullish on silver and able to monitor their investments on a daily basis.
The fund uses derivatives such as futures contracts to invest in silver and has an expense ratio of 0.95 percent.
While designed for short term investment, the ETF’s average annual five year return based on net asset value stands at 19.98 percent. Investors looking for a more accurate picture of its day-to-day performance can find a chart on the fund’s page.
5. ProShares UltraShort Silver ETF (ARCA:ZSL)
Total assets: US$32.87 million
Unit price: US$25.30
Alongside the creation of the ProShares Ultra Silver ETF in late 2008, ProShares launched its ProShares UltraShort Silver ETF. This fund was designed to provide investors with a hedge against declines in the silver market. It also has an expense ratio of 0.95 percent.
Because the fund is built around providing results at a negative two times daily performance of the Bloomberg Silver Subindex, it is meant for traders who have a high capacity for risk and who are willing to monitor their positions on a daily basis. The fund should be treated in the same way as the Ultra Silver ETF.
This high-volatility fund has an average annual total return of -44.93 percent based on net asset value over the previous five year period. However, as the fund is only meant to be held for very short intervals, this metric is less useful than for other funds. A more accurate picture of its day-to-day performance can be found on the fund’s page.
5 ETFs for exposure to silver mining stocks
1. Global X Silver Miners ETF (ARCA:SIL)
Total assets: US$1.97 billion
Unit price: US$48.66
The Global X Silver Miners ETF gives investors access to a basket of silver-mining and royalty stocks. The ETF benefits from the fact that these companies can climb when the silver price is rising. It also allows investors to avoid the risks associated with individual companies and lets them add geographical diversity to their portfolios.
This ETF has an expense ratio of 0.65 percent, and its top holdings include streaming company Wheaton Precious Metals (TSX:WPM,NYSE:WPM) at a weight of 21.22 percent, Pan American Silver (TSX:PAAS,NYSE:PAAS) at a weight of 12.98 percent and OR Royalties (TSX:OR,NYSE:OR) at 6.1 percent.
The five year average annualized total return for the fund is 11.75 percent.
2. Amplify Junior Silver ETF (ARCA:SILJ)
Total assets: US$1.42 billion
Unit price: US$14.97
The Amplify Prime Junior Silver ETF bills itself as the ‘first and only ETF to target small cap silver miners.’ The index provides a benchmark for investors to track public small-cap companies in the silver space.
The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.69 percent and its holdings span Canada, the US and the UK, with key silver companies such as Coeur Mining (NYSE:CDE) at 13.22 percent, First Majestic Silver (TSX:AG,NYSE:AG) at a weight of 10.61 percent and Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) at 8.34 percent.
Over the last five years, the fund’s average annualized total return based on net asset value is 3.99 percent.
3. iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF (BATS:SLVP)
Total assets: US$314.25 million
Unit price: US$17.96
The iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF tracks an index composed of global equities of companies primarily engaged in silver exploration or metals mining. The ETF has the lowest expense ratio of the three ETFs focused on silver stocks at 0.39 percent.
The large majority of companies in its holdings, about 69 percent, are traded on Canadian exchanges, and companies on US and Mexican exchanges combine for 27 percent.
The top three holdings for the iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF are Pan American Silver at a weight of 22.98 percent, Industrias Peñoles (BMV:PE&OLES) with a weight of 12.6 percent and Hecla Mining at 8.74 percent.
The fund’s average annualized return over the last five year period is 16.2 percent.
4. Sprott Silver Miners & Physical Silver ETF (NASDAQ:SLVR)
Total assets: US$99.9 million
Unit price: US$30.83
Unlike the other silver mining ETFs on the list, the Sprott Silver Miners and Physical Silver Fund has a combination of physical silver holdings as well as equities. The fund launched in January 2025, making it one of the newest entries to the list. Its management fee is 0.65 percent.
This ETF’s top holding is its counterpart Sprott Physical Silver Trust, which provides investors exposure to physical silver, at a 15.26 percent weight. Its next-largest holdings are MAG Silver (TSX:MAG) at 13.64 percent and Aya Gold & Silver (TSX:AYA) at 7.61 percent.
Since its inception in January 2025, the fund has a total return of 24.98 percent.
5. Sprott Active Gold and Silver Miners ETF (NASDAQ:GBUG)
Established in February 2025, the Sprott Active Gold and Silver Miners ETF is designed to provide investors broad access to both gold and silver equities. Additionally, as an active fund, it will see more frequent rebalancing to increase the potential of better returns for investors. Its management fee is 0.89 percent.
The fund’s top holdings consist of Coeur Mining weighted at 5.13 percent, OR Royalties at 5 percent and Torex Gold (TSX:TXG) at 4.82 percent.
Since its inception in February, the fund has seen a total return of 27.13 percent.
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold an investment in Sprott Active Gold and Silver Miners ETF.
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