SLV vs. VPN
SLV (iShares Silver Trust) and VPN (Global X Data Center REITs & Digital Infrastructure ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SLV is a Silver fund tracking the LBMA Silver Price, while VPN is a Technology Equities fund tracking the Solactive Data Center REITs & Digital Infrastructure Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, SLV returned 20.04%/yr vs 14.89%/yr for VPN. At a 0.27 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. Both charge a 0.50% expense ratio.
Performance
SLV vs. VPN - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SLV achieves a -7.62% return, which is significantly lower than VPN's 51.28% return.
SLV
- 1D
- -1.81%
- 1M
- -14.31%
- YTD
- -7.62%
- 6M
- -2.33%
- 1Y
- 81.88%
- 3Y*
- 38.96%
- 5Y*
- 20.04%
- 10Y*
- 13.58%
VPN
- 1D
- 1.85%
- 1M
- 4.48%
- YTD
- 51.28%
- 6M
- 54.75%
- 1Y
- 78.03%
- 3Y*
- 34.37%
- 5Y*
- 14.89%
- 10Y*
- —
SLV vs. VPN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLV iShares Silver Trust | -7.62% | 144.66% | 20.89% | -1.09% | 2.37% | -12.45% | 12.81% |
VPN Global X Data Center REITs & Digital Infrastructure ETF | 51.28% | 28.99% | 14.92% | 18.93% | -30.89% | 20.35% | 6.60% |
Correlation
The correlation between SLV and VPN is 0.33, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 29, 2020 | 0.27 |
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Return for Risk
SLV vs. VPN — Risk / Return Rank
SLV
VPN
SLV vs. VPN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Silver Trust (SLV) and Global X Data Center REITs & Digital Infrastructure ETF (VPN). 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 | VPN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.07 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.38 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.27 | 1.54 | -0.26 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.75 | 6.05 | -4.30 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.68 | 18.62 | -14.95 |
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Drawdowns
SLV vs. VPN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SLV drawdown since its inception was -76.28%, which is greater than VPN's maximum drawdown of -38.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SLV and VPN.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SLV | VPN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -76.28% | -38.98% | -37.30% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -45.40% | -12.89% | -32.51% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -45.40% | -24.96% | -20.44% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -45.40% | -38.98% | -6.42% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -45.40% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -43.65% | -1.57% | -42.08% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -44.65% | -12.29% | -32.36% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 21.52% | 4.18% | +17.34% |
Volatility
SLV vs. VPN - Volatility Comparison
iShares Silver Trust (SLV) has a higher volatility of 14.09% compared to Global X Data Center REITs & Digital Infrastructure ETF (VPN) at 9.23%. This indicates that SLV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VPN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SLV | VPN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 14.09% | 9.23% | +4.86% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 59.18% | 18.31% | +40.87% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 60.10% | 22.99% | +37.11% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 36.50% | 22.09% | +14.41% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 32.04% | 22.07% | +9.97% |
SLV vs. VPN - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both SLV and VPN have an expense ratio of 0.50%.
Dividends
SLV vs. VPN - Dividend Comparison
SLV has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VPN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.73%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLV iShares Silver Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VPN Global X Data Center REITs & Digital Infrastructure ETF | 0.73% | 1.10% | 1.72% | 1.18% | 2.57% | 1.27% | 0.30% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SLV and VPN have a correlation of 0.33, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SLV has higher volatility (14.09%) compared to VPN (9.23%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SLV dropped -76.28% vs VPN's -38.98%.
On 5-year performance, SLV leads with 20.04% vs 14.89% for VPN. Both ETFs have the same 0.50% expense ratio. On volatility, VPN has been the lower-risk option at 9.23%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, SLV has performed better with a 20.04% return vs 14.89%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SLV and VPN have the same expense ratio: 0.50% per year.
VPN has the higher dividend yield at 0.73%, compared with 0.00% for SLV.
SLV is categorized as Silver, while VPN is Technology Equities. SLV tracks LBMA Silver Price, while VPN tracks Solactive Data Center REITs & Digital Infrastructure Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Global X.
VPN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.39 vs 1.32), 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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