7 Best Silver ETFs to Buy in 2026 (Expert-Picked)

Key Takeaways

Silver ETFs offer compelling investment opportunities as the metal doubled to $60/ounce in 2025, driven by industrial demand and a four-year supply deficit.

• Choose based on your strategy: Physical silver ETFs (SLV, SIVR) for direct exposure, mining ETFs (SIL) for amplified returns, or leveraged options (AGQ) for short-term trading.

• Expense ratios matter significantly: Costs range from Invesco's industry-low 0.19% to SIL's 0.65%, directly impacting long-term returns on your investment.

• Tax treatment varies substantially: PSLV offers potential capital gains rates (15-20%) versus the standard 28% collectibles tax applied to most silver investments.

• Industrial demand drives fundamentals: Over half of annual silver supply goes to solar panels, EVs, and 5G infrastructure, creating structural supply deficits.

• Silver outperforms gold long-term: The white metal generated 298% cumulative returns versus gold's 286% over the past decade, making it attractive for diversified portfolios.

The key to successful silver investing lies in matching the right ETF structure to your investment timeline, risk tolerance, and tax situation while capitalizing on the metal's dual role as both industrial commodity and precious metal store of value.
The best silver ETF might be right at your doorstep. Silver prices have doubled in 2025, reaching almost $60 per ounce due to a four-year structural supply deficit.

The white metal's performance makes silver ETFs compelling investment options. Silver has outperformed gold in the last decade with cumulative returns of 298% versus gold's 286%. Investors can now choose from 8 silver ETFs and ETCs that track this precious metal. These range from physical bullion holdings like iShares Silver Trust (SLV), which holds over 510 million ounces, to mining company investments such as Global X Silver Miners ETF (SIL). SIL has delivered an impressive 142% return year-to-date in 2025. The costs remain competitive as total expense ratios for these silver ETCs range from 0.19% to 0.75% annually. Invesco Physical Silver leads the pack as the most cost-effective option with just 0.19%.

A surge in industrial demand fuels this silver boom. Solar panels, electric vehicles, and 5G infrastructure now use more than half of the annual supply. This piece dives into the 7 best silver ETFs to add to your portfolio in 2026, covering everything from physical silver trusts to mining company ETFs.

iShares Silver Trust (SLV)

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iShares Silver Trust is the market's oldest silver ETF. Launched in April 2006, it now manages a massive $44.18 billion in assets. The fund stores over 525 million ounces of physical silver in secure vaults. SLV lets investors track silver prices directly without dealing with physical metal storage.

SLV's performance has been exceptional. The fund posted a remarkable 147.86% return in the year ending December 2025. It managed to keep strong long-term results too, with 43.62% three-year and 21.54% five-year annualized returns.

Trading happens on the NYSE Arca with incredible volume - about 83.8 million shares change hands daily. This makes SLV perfect for both quick trades and long-term silver investments.

The fund's 0.50% expense ratio runs higher than what competitors charge, like SIVR at 0.30%. In spite of that, SLV makes up for it with unmatched liquidity and market depth.

The trust owns physical silver bullion instead of futures contracts, so it avoids problems like contango and backwardation. It also makes each share worth about one troy ounce of silver, which helps investors calculate their positions easily.

SLV works great as protection against inflation when markets get shaky. Investors should note though - it pays no dividends before adding it to their income portfolios.

abrdn Physical Silver Shares ETF (SIVR)

_{Image Source: Aberdeen Investments}

The abrdn Physical Silver Shares ETF (SIVR) leads the industry with its low expense ratio and gives investors an affordable way to track silver's performance. Since its launch in July 2009, SIVR has grown to manage $5.43 billion in assets as of January 2026.

SIVR stands out with its competitive 0.30% expense ratio, which makes it much cheaper than SLV's 0.50% fee structure. Investors pay just $3 yearly per $1,000 invested compared to SLV's $5.

The fund's performance tells an impressive story:

180.46% one-year return

52.55% three-year annualized return

27.16% five-year annualized return

SIVR holds allocated silver bullion—over 65 million ounces—in secure London vaults with twice-yearly inspections. This simple approach avoids futures-based complications while giving investors clear exposure to silver prices.

SIVR's portfolio benefits shine through its low 0.280 correlation with the S&P 500 over ten years. This makes it a great way to get diversification benefits and helps reduce overall portfolio volatility.

Trading volumes might be lower than SLV, but SIVR remains liquid enough for most investors. It provides similar exposure to silver price movements at a lower cost.

ProShares Ultra Silver (AGQ)

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ProShares Ultra Silver (AGQ) stands out from regular silver ETFs by aiming to double (2x) the daily returns of the Bloomberg Silver Subindex. This makes it unique as it's the only ETF that doubles silver futures' daily performance.

AGQ gives traders powerful tools to profit from silver's upward moves. The fund's performance speaks for itself - it delivered 125.44% returns in the year leading up to Q3 2025. The fund jumped 13.58% in just one day, moving between $216.43 and $228.43.

The doubled returns come with doubled risks. AGQ shows high volatility with a 58.57% standard deviation over three years and a 5-year beta of 3.21. Daily prices often swing more than 5.5%, which makes this fund a poor choice for cautious investors.

Smart traders use AGQ for quick moves rather than long-term investments. The fund rebalances every day, which means long-term returns might not match the 2x target. Instead of holding silver directly, the fund uses swap agreements and futures contracts to achieve its leverage.

Investors can easily trade AGQ on the NYSE Arca, where options are also available. This gives them a simple way to get leveraged silver exposure through regular brokerage accounts without dealing with futures markets.

Sprott Physical Silver Trust (PSLV)

_{Image Source: www.sprottusa.com}

The Sprott Physical Silver Trust (PSLV) differs from standard ETFs. It functions as a closed-end trust that holds fully allocated London Good Delivery silver bars. PSLV's holdings are impressive, with 214,696,112 ounces of physical silver and a total net asset value of USD 18.42 billion as of January 2026.

The trust trades on NYSE Arca and Toronto Stock Exchange. Its current trading price shows a slight discount to NAV (-3.43%). This presents an attractive buying chance, especially when compared to physical silver's premiums of 10-22% above spot prices.

PSLV's tax treatment gives U.S. investors a significant advantage. Most silver investments face a 28% collectibles tax rate. However, qualifying investors who hold PSLV for over one year and file a QEF election can benefit from lower long-term capital gains rates of 15-20%.

The trust offers another key benefit: unitholders can redeem their shares for actual physical silver each month, subject to minimum requirements. All silver stays secure at the Royal Canadian Mint, eliminating the need for financial intermediaries.

PSLV maintains a management expense ratio of 0.57% and has delivered strong year-to-date returns of 19.03%. The trust's high liquidity, with average daily trading volume of USD 675.20 million, makes it available to both institutional and retail investors who want physical silver exposure.

Global X Silver Miners ETF (SIL)

_{Image Source: Global X ETFs Europe}

Investors can get higher returns from silver price movements through the Global X Silver Miners ETF (SIL). This ETF invests in companies that mine silver rather than holding physical silver. The fund is 13 years old and manages $5.69 billion in assets.

SIL's performance has been remarkable. The fund achieved a 165.93% return in one year and a 45.92% annualized return over three years. The expense ratio is 0.65%, which is slightly above physical silver ETFs. This premium makes sense given the fund's specialized focus.

The ETF follows the Solactive Global Silver Miners Total Return Index with investments in 39 global companies that explore, develop, and produce silver. The fund's portfolio concentrates its assets heavily - the top 10 holdings make up about 76% of total assets. The major holdings include:

Wheaton Precious Metals: 21.36%

Pan American Silver: 12.22%

Coeur Mining: 8.24%

Hecla Mining: 6.45%

SIL becomes especially attractive when you consider these companies' operational advantages. Mining companies tend to earn much higher profits as silver prices rise because their profit margins grow. This is why SIL tends to perform better than physical silver ETFs in bull markets.

The fund maintains a laser focus on the materials sector, which represents 99.2% of its holdings. This makes it a pure play in the silver mining industry.

Invesco Physical Silver ETC

_{Image Source: Invesco}

The Invesco Physical Silver ETC emerges as the most affordable option among top silver ETFs, boasting an industry-leading total expense ratio of just 0.19% p.a. This Irish-domiciled product has grown to manage €1,042 million in assets since its launch on April 13, 2011 [66, 67].

The product's structure is different from traditional ETFs. It operates as a physically backed exchange traded certificate that provides secured, limited recourse certificates. J.P. Morgan Chase Bank's London vaults store the silver bullion that fully collateralizes each certificate. This setup eliminates the counterparty risk you typically find in synthetic products.

The ETC's performance has been remarkable. It achieved a one-year return of 68.1% and generated an impressive 142.8% over five years.

The fund uses a "swing bar" approach. Silver bullion equal to at least the certificates' full value remains in an allocated account under the issuer's name. Each certificate's daily precious metal entitlement represents fine troy ounces held as collateral, which decreases as the management fee accumulates daily.

Investors should consider the medium-high risk classification (5 out of 7) due to silver's price volatility. Risk scenarios indicate that a stress situation could lead to a 79.07% loss within one year.

WisdomTree Physical Silver

_{Image Source: The Silver Forum}

WisdomTree Physical Silver has grown into one of the largest silver ETCs since its 2007 launch, managing assets worth €3,377 million. This Jersey-based fund lets investors directly access physical silver through a UCITS-eligible Exchange Traded Commodity structure.

The fund's straightforward investment approach makes it particularly attractive. HSBC Bank's vaults store the allocated physical silver, and each bar has its own identity, separate storage, and meets the London Bullion Market Association's Good Delivery standards. Investors don't face the counterparty risks common to synthetic products.

The fund's performance numbers tell an impressive story. It has achieved +31.38% YTD returns and +168.83% since it began. The fund's strength shows in its remarkable one-year return of +148.24%.

A management fee of 0.49% p.a. puts it slightly above the market's lowest rates. Notwithstanding that, it maintains a medium-high risk rating (5 out of 7), which reflects silver's price volatility.

Investors should know about the fund's performance projections. These range from stress scenarios that could see a 46.19% loss in one year to favorable conditions that might bring a 108.54% gain. The fund trades actively on the London Stock Exchange, with daily trading volume averaging 319,056 shares.

Comparison Table

Conclusion

Silver ETFs are worth a closer look as we approach 2026. The metal's price doubled to $60 per ounce in 2025. Each investor has different needs, and the ETFs in this piece give you several ways to benefit from silver's momentum. Physical silver trusts like SLV, SIVR, and PSLV track price movements directly. SIL gives you higher returns through mining companies. On top of that, options like AGQ provide leveraged exposure if you can handle more risk.

Your choice of silver ETF should go beyond just performance numbers. The expense ratios make a big difference to your returns. These range from Invesco's market-leading 0.19% to SIL's 0.65%. Tax rules also vary. PSLV might give you lower capital gains rates compared to the standard 28% collectibles tax that applies to most silver investments.

The outlook for silver looks promising because of rising industrial demand. More than half the annual supply now goes into solar panels, electric vehicles, and 5G infrastructure. This creates a supply shortage that keeps growing. Silver has beaten gold's performance in the last decade with returns of 298% compared to gold's 286%.

Smart investors use advanced screening tools to make better decisions. The Intellectia.ai AI Screener helps you quickly find companies that benefit from rising silver prices. You can spot miners that increase production or tech manufacturers with secure supply chains. The AI Stock Picker gives you daily recommendations based on informed analysis.

Silver works well in a diverse portfolio because it serves as both an industrial and precious metal. You can choose a physical trust, mining ETF, or leveraged product. Success comes from picking an option that matches your investment timeline, risk comfort level, and tax needs.