SLV vs. VGIT
SLV (iShares Silver Trust) and VGIT (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SLV is a Silver fund tracking the LBMA Silver Price, while VGIT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 3-10 Year Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SLV returned 14.08%/yr vs 1.16%/yr for VGIT. At a 0.15 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SLV charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VGIT.
Performance
SLV vs. VGIT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SLV achieves a -4.41% return, which is significantly lower than VGIT's -0.78% return. Over the past 10 years, SLV has outperformed VGIT with an annualized return of 14.08%, while VGIT has yielded a comparatively lower 1.16% annualized return.
SLV
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- -15.66%
- YTD
- -4.41%
- 6M
- 16.83%
- 1Y
- 88.38%
- 3Y*
- 40.36%
- 5Y*
- 19.02%
- 10Y*
- 14.08%
VGIT
- 1D
- -0.05%
- 1M
- -0.87%
- YTD
- -0.78%
- 6M
- -0.42%
- 1Y
- 3.55%
- 3Y*
- 3.40%
- 5Y*
- -0.07%
- 10Y*
- 1.16%
SLV vs. VGIT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLV iShares Silver Trust | -4.41% | 144.66% | 20.89% | -1.09% | 2.37% | -12.45% | 47.30% | 14.88% | -9.19% | 5.82% |
VGIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF | -0.78% | 7.34% | 1.39% | 4.28% | -10.53% | -2.64% | 7.71% | 6.19% | 1.35% | 1.70% |
Correlation
The correlation between SLV and VGIT is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 23, 2009 | 0.15 |
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Return for Risk
SLV vs. VGIT — Risk / Return Rank
SLV
VGIT
SLV vs. VGIT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Silver Trust (SLV) and Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT). 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.
| SLV | VGIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.42 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.16 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 1.19 | +0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.09 | 1.26 | +0.83 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.40 | 3.66 | +0.74 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| SLV | VGIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.50 | 1.08 | +0.42 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.53 | -0.01 | +0.54 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.44 | 0.26 | +0.18 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.23 | 0.49 | -0.26 |
Drawdowns
SLV vs. VGIT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SLV drawdown since its inception was -76.28%, which is greater than VGIT's maximum drawdown of -16.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SLV and VGIT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SLV | VGIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -76.28% | -16.05% | -60.23% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -42.45% | -2.83% | -39.62% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -42.45% | -4.34% | -38.11% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -42.45% | -15.02% | -27.43% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -42.81% | -16.05% | -26.76% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -41.69% | -2.71% | -38.98% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -44.67% | -3.52% | -41.15% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 20.15% | 0.97% | +19.18% |
Volatility
SLV vs. VGIT - Volatility Comparison
iShares Silver Trust (SLV) has a higher volatility of 16.89% compared to Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT) at 1.05%. This indicates that SLV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGIT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SLV | VGIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 16.89% | 1.05% | +15.84% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 58.88% | 2.36% | +56.52% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 59.53% | 3.32% | +56.21% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 36.33% | 5.38% | +30.95% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.92% | 4.50% | +27.42% |
SLV vs. VGIT - Expense Ratio Comparison
SLV has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is higher than VGIT's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
SLV vs. VGIT - Dividend Comparison
SLV has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VGIT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.88%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLV iShares Silver Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VGIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF | 3.88% | 3.79% | 3.67% | 2.73% | 1.74% | 1.69% | 2.23% | 2.24% | 2.05% | 1.67% | 1.69% | 1.69% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SLV and VGIT have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SLV has higher volatility (16.89%) compared to VGIT (1.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SLV dropped -76.28% vs VGIT's -16.05%.
On 10-year performance, SLV leads with 14.08% vs 1.16% for VGIT. On fees, VGIT is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VGIT has been the lower-risk option at 1.05%. 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 14.08% return vs 1.16%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VGIT is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for SLV.
VGIT has the higher dividend yield at 3.88%, compared with 0.00% for SLV.
SLV is categorized as Silver, while VGIT is Government Bonds. SLV tracks LBMA Silver Price, while VGIT tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 3-10 Year Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for SLV and 0.03% for VGIT.
SLV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.50 vs 1.08), 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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