SLV vs. PPLT
SLV (iShares Silver Trust) and PPLT (abrdn Physical Platinum Shares ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SLV is a Silver fund tracking the LBMA Silver Price, while PPLT is a Precious Metals fund tracking the LBMA Platinum Price PM. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SLV returned 11.05%/yr vs 3.32%/yr for PPLT. A 0.65 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. SLV charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.60%/yr for PPLT.
Performance
SLV vs. PPLT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SLV achieves a -17.00% return, which is significantly higher than PPLT's -24.21% return. Over the past 10 years, SLV has outperformed PPLT with an annualized return of 11.05%, while PPLT has yielded a comparatively lower 3.32% annualized return.
SLV
- 1D
- 1.50%
- 1M
- -21.75%
- YTD
- -17.00%
- 6M
- -22.48%
- 1Y
- 62.97%
- 3Y*
- 36.79%
- 5Y*
- 17.27%
- 10Y*
- 11.05%
PPLT
- 1D
- -1.40%
- 1M
- -19.03%
- YTD
- -24.21%
- 6M
- -28.86%
- 1Y
- 15.00%
- 3Y*
- 19.09%
- 5Y*
- 6.84%
- 10Y*
- 3.32%
SLV vs. PPLT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLV iShares Silver Trust | -17.00% | 144.66% | 20.89% | -1.09% | 2.37% | -12.45% | 47.30% | 14.88% | -9.19% | 5.82% |
PPLT abrdn Physical Platinum Shares ETF | -24.21% | 124.48% | -8.90% | -8.18% | 10.43% | -10.75% | 10.78% | 20.85% | -14.95% | 2.38% |
Correlation
The correlation between SLV and PPLT is 0.75, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.75 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.67 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.64 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.63 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 8, 2010 | 0.65 |
The correlation between SLV and PPLT shifts across timeframes, from 0.63 (10 years) to 0.75 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SLV vs. PPLT — Risk / Return Rank
SLV
PPLT
SLV vs. PPLT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Silver Trust (SLV) and abrdn Physical Platinum Shares ETF (PPLT). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| SLV | PPLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.74 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.74 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.10 | +0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.24 | 0.34 | +0.90 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.74 | 0.78 | +1.97 |
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Drawdowns
SLV vs. PPLT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SLV drawdown since its inception was -76.28%, which is greater than PPLT's maximum drawdown of -70.73%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SLV and PPLT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SLV | PPLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -76.28% | -70.73% | -5.55% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -50.97% | -43.98% | -6.99% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -50.97% | -43.98% | -6.99% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -50.97% | -43.98% | -6.99% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -50.97% | -51.14% | +0.17% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -49.37% | -43.98% | -5.39% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -44.66% | -39.94% | -4.72% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 23.01% | 19.30% | +3.71% |
Volatility
SLV vs. PPLT - Volatility Comparison
iShares Silver Trust (SLV) has a higher volatility of 15.67% compared to abrdn Physical Platinum Shares ETF (PPLT) at 12.58%. This indicates that SLV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PPLT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SLV | PPLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 15.67% | 12.58% | +3.09% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 58.87% | 43.67% | +15.20% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 60.75% | 50.52% | +10.23% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 36.74% | 32.78% | +3.96% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 32.12% | 29.21% | +2.91% |
SLV vs. PPLT - Expense Ratio Comparison
SLV has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than PPLT's 0.60% expense ratio.
Dividends
SLV vs. PPLT - Dividend Comparison
Neither SLV nor PPLT has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
SLV and PPLT have a correlation of 0.75, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SLV has higher volatility (15.67%) compared to PPLT (12.58%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SLV dropped -76.28% vs PPLT's -70.73%.
On 10-year performance, SLV leads with 11.05% vs 3.32% for PPLT. On fees, SLV is cheaper at 0.50% per year. On volatility, PPLT has been the lower-risk option at 12.58%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SLV has performed better with a 11.05% return vs 3.32%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SLV is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for PPLT.
SLV and PPLT have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.
SLV is categorized as Silver, while PPLT is Precious Metals. SLV tracks LBMA Silver Price, while PPLT tracks LBMA Platinum Price PM. They also come from different issuers: iShares and abrdn. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for SLV and 0.60% for PPLT.
SLV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.04 vs 0.30), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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