SLV vs. VTI
SLV (iShares Silver Trust) and VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SLV is a Silver fund tracking the LBMA Silver Price, while VTI is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SLV returned 10.57%/yr vs 14.48%/yr for VTI. At a 0.22 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SLV charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VTI.
Performance
SLV vs. VTI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SLV achieves a -20.86% return, which is significantly lower than VTI's 9.90% return. Over the past 10 years, SLV has underperformed VTI with an annualized return of 10.57%, while VTI has yielded a comparatively higher 14.48% annualized return.
SLV
- 1D
- 0.39%
- 1M
- -14.33%
- 6M
- -37.08%
- YTD
- -20.86%
- 1Y
- 47.30%
- 3Y*
- 31.21%
- 5Y*
- 16.83%
- 10Y*
- 10.57%
- ALL TIME*
- 7.03%
VTI
- 1D
- -0.21%
- 1M
- -0.73%
- 6M
- 7.78%
- YTD
- 9.90%
- 1Y
- 19.88%
- 3Y*
- 19.10%
- 5Y*
- 11.79%
- 10Y*
- 14.48%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.57%
SLV vs. VTI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLV iShares Silver Trust | -20.86% | 144.66% | 20.89% | -1.09% | 2.37% | -12.45% | 47.30% | 14.88% | -9.19% | 5.82% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 9.90% | 17.10% | 23.81% | 26.05% | -19.52% | 25.68% | 21.08% | 30.67% | -5.23% | 21.21% |
Correlation
The correlation between SLV and VTI is 0.34, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.34 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 28, 2006 | 0.22 |
The correlation between SLV and VTI shifts across timeframes, from 0.20 (10 years) to 0.34 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SLV vs. VTI — Risk / Return Rank
SLV
VTI
SLV vs. VTI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Silver Trust (SLV) and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI). 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 | VTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.78 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.93 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.28 | -0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.91 | 2.24 | -1.33 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.85 | 9.77 | -7.92 |
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Drawdowns
SLV vs. VTI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SLV drawdown since its inception was -76.28%, which is greater than VTI's maximum drawdown of -55.45%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SLV and VTI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SLV | VTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -76.28% | -55.45% | -20.83% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -52.28% | -8.92% | -43.36% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -52.28% | -19.30% | -32.98% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -52.28% | -25.36% | -26.92% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -52.28% | -35.00% | -17.28% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -51.72% | -1.89% | -49.83% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -44.67% | -7.99% | -36.68% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 25.64% | 2.04% | +23.60% |
Volatility
SLV vs. VTI - Volatility Comparison
iShares Silver Trust (SLV) has a higher volatility of 12.54% compared to Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) at 3.23%. This indicates that SLV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VTI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SLV | VTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 12.54% | 3.23% | +9.31% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 56.50% | 10.18% | +46.32% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 61.24% | 12.88% | +48.36% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 36.87% | 17.49% | +19.38% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 32.18% | 18.29% | +13.89% |
SLV vs. VTI - Expense Ratio Comparison
SLV has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is higher than VTI's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
SLV vs. VTI - Dividend Comparison
SLV has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VTI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.06%.
| 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% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 1.06% | 1.12% | 1.27% | 1.44% | 1.66% | 1.21% | 1.42% | 1.78% | 2.04% | 1.71% | 1.92% | 1.98% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SLV and VTI have a correlation of 0.34, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SLV has higher volatility (12.54%) compared to VTI (3.23%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SLV dropped -76.28% vs VTI's -55.45%.
On 10-year performance, VTI leads with 14.48% vs 10.57% for SLV. On fees, VTI is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VTI has been the lower-risk option at 3.23%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VTI has performed better with a 14.48% return vs 10.57%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTI is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for SLV.
VTI has the higher dividend yield at 1.06%, compared with 0.00% for SLV.
SLV is categorized as Silver, while VTI is Large Cap Blend Equities. SLV tracks LBMA Silver Price, while VTI tracks CRSP US Total Market Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for SLV and 0.03% for VTI.
VTI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.55 vs 0.78), 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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