A head-to-head comparison of iShares Silver Trust and iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.
ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.
iShares is one of the largest ETF providers globally, known for offering a broad, diversified lineup of exchange-traded funds across multiple asset classes and investment strategies. The company operates 215 funds spanning 15 distinct families, including popular offerings in dividend income, covered call strategies, bonds, equities, ESG-focused investments, and factor-based approaches, with widely-held tickers like AGG (bond), ACWI (global equity), and AOA (allocation). iShares is characterized by its comprehensive fund ecosystem that serves both core portfolio holdings and specialized investment strategies, making it a prominent player for investors seeking both traditional and alternative income-generating ETF solutions.
See our curated list of related YouTube videos on SLV and SLVP.
MSCI ACWI Select Silver Miners Investable Market Index
Objective
Reflect the performance of the price of silver bullion less trust expenses.
Seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI ACWI Select Silver Miners Investable Market Index, composed of global companies primarily engaged in silver mining and exploration and related metals mining.
Asset class
Commodity
Equity
Inception date
04/21/2006
01/31/2012
Beta
1.26
1.21
Last dividend
—
$0.1380
Ex-dividend date
—
06/15/2026
Bottom lineChoose SLV if you want a non-correlated hedge against inflation and market stress. Choose SLVP if you want higher current income (0.90% while SLV makes no distribution).
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Projections assume the current yield and share price remain constant. Actual results will vary.
Total returns
SLV has lagged SLVP over the trailing twelve months, posting a 53.54% total return against 67.60%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — SLV has compounded at 10.61% a year, ahead of SLVP at 8.80%. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.
Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date, split-adjusted, as of July 14, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; longer windows are annualized. “Since Feb 2012” measures every fund from February 2, 2012 — the youngest fund's first trading day — so all funds share one comparison window. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of daily total returns over the trailing 3 years. Sharpe and Sortino divide the annualized return in excess of the risk-free rate by, respectively, that volatility and the downside deviation (both over the trailing 3 years) — higher is better. Max drawdown is the largest peak-to-trough total-return decline over the same window — shallower is better.
Quick verdict
SLV (iShares Silver Trust) and SLVP (iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF) are both ETFs, but they take different approaches.
SLVP currently shows a 0.90% distribution yield. SLV has not yet established a full distribution history, so a comparable yield figure is not available.
SLVP is cheaper with an expense ratio of 0.39% compared to 0.50%.
They track different benchmarks: SLV is linked to Silver bullion spot price while SLVP tracks MSCI ACWI Select Silver Miners Investable Market Index, which means their performance drivers differ.
SLV is the larger fund by assets ($35.1B), which generally means tighter spreads and better liquidity.
Deep dive
Yield & income
On a $10,000 investment, SLV has no reported distribution yield yet, so a monthly income estimate is not available, while SLVP would produce $7.50/month, at current distribution rates.
SLV yield0.00%
SLVP yield0.90%
Cost & efficiency
Over 10 years on $10,000, SLV would cost approximately $500 in fees vs $390 for SLVP (simplified, not compounded). The $110.00 difference may be offset by yield or performance.
SLV ER0.50%
SLVP ER0.39%
Strategy & risk
SLV tracks Silver bullion spot price with a metals approach, while SLVP tracks MSCI ACWI Select Silver Miners Investable Market Index with a metals approach. Beta is 1.26 for SLV and 1.21 for SLVP, indicating SLVP is less volatile relative to the market.
SLV beta1.26
SLVP beta1.21
Fund details
SLV is managed by iShares (launched 04/21/2006) with $35.1B in assets. SLVP is managed by iShares (launched 01/31/2012) with $848M in assets.
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Frequently asked questions
Which of SLV or SLVP pays more dividend income?
SLVP currently reports a distribution yield, while SLV has not yet established a full distribution history. A direct income comparison is not yet meaningful — check back once both funds have published several consecutive distributions.
What is the difference between SLV and SLVP?
SLV (iShares Silver Trust) tracks Silver bullion spot price with a metals approach, while SLVP (iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF) tracks MSCI ACWI Select Silver Miners Investable Market Index with a metals approach. They are issued by iShares and iShares respectively.
Can I hold both SLV and SLVP?
Yes — nothing prevents holding both. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on how much the underlying exposures overlap, which isn't fully measurable from the data on this page; review each security's holdings, sector, and strategy before treating them as complementary.
Which has lower fees, SLV or SLVP?
SLV has an expense ratio of 0.50% while SLVP charges 0.39%. Lower fees mean more of your investment returns stay in your pocket over time.
How much income does $10,000 in SLV vs SLVP generate?
At current rates, SLV has not established a distribution history yet, so a monthly income estimate is not available. The same in SLVP would produce about $7.50 per month ($90.00 annually).
Which has performed better historically, SLV or SLVP?
SLV has lagged SLVP over the trailing twelve months, posting a 53.54% total return against 67.60%. The picture flips over 10 years, though — SLV has compounded at 10.61% a year, ahead of SLVP at 8.80%. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
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