SLV vs. ZSL
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Silver Trust (SLV) and ProShares UltraShort Silver (ZSL).
SLV and ZSL are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SLV is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the LBMA Silver Price. It was launched on Apr 21, 2006. ZSL is a passively managed fund by ProShares that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg Silver (-200%). It was launched on Dec 1, 2008. Both SLV and ZSL are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
SLV vs. ZSL - Performance Comparison
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SLV vs. ZSL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLV iShares Silver Trust | 5.77% | 144.66% | 20.89% | -1.09% | 2.37% | -12.45% | 47.30% | 14.88% | -9.19% | 5.82% |
ZSL ProShares UltraShort Silver | -57.85% | -87.29% | -42.43% | -5.49% | -28.09% | -2.04% | -74.44% | -27.76% | 18.15% | -18.99% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SLV achieves a 5.77% return, which is significantly higher than ZSL's -57.85% return. Over the past 10 years, SLV has outperformed ZSL with an annualized return of 16.87%, while ZSL has yielded a comparatively lower -44.59% annualized return.
SLV
- 1D
- 7.27%
- 1M
- -19.83%
- YTD
- 5.77%
- 6M
- 60.82%
- 1Y
- 119.88%
- 3Y*
- 45.50%
- 5Y*
- 24.10%
- 10Y*
- 16.87%
ZSL
- 1D
- -14.31%
- 1M
- 41.39%
- YTD
- -57.85%
- 6M
- -85.35%
- 1Y
- -92.33%
- 3Y*
- -68.82%
- 5Y*
- -53.86%
- 10Y*
- -44.59%
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SLV vs. ZSL - Expense Ratio Comparison
SLV has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than ZSL's 1.32% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
SLV vs. ZSL — Risk / Return Rank
SLV
ZSL
SLV vs. ZSL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Silver Trust (SLV) and ProShares UltraShort Silver (ZSL). 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 | ZSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 2.11 | -0.79 | +2.91 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.20 | -2.51 | +4.71 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.39 | 0.73 | +0.67 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.82 | -0.96 | +3.78 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.79 | -1.45 | +10.24 |
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 | ZSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.11 | -0.79 | +2.91 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.69 | -0.75 | +1.43 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.54 | -0.70 | +1.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.25 | -0.68 | +0.93 |
Correlation
The correlation between SLV and ZSL is -0.99. This indicates that the assets' prices tend to move in opposite directions. Negative correlation can be particularly beneficial for diversification and risk management, as one asset may offset the losses of the other during market fluctuations.
Dividends
SLV vs. ZSL - Dividend Comparison
Neither SLV nor ZSL has paid dividends to shareholders.
Drawdowns
SLV vs. ZSL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SLV drawdown since its inception was -76.28%, smaller than the maximum ZSL drawdown of -100.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SLV and ZSL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SLV | ZSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -76.28% | -100.00% | +23.72% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -42.45% | -95.92% | +53.47% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -42.45% | -99.04% | +56.59% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -42.81% | -99.81% | +57.00% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -35.47% | -99.99% | +64.52% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -44.76% | -96.35% | +51.59% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 13.63% | 63.73% | -50.10% |
Volatility
SLV vs. ZSL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Silver Trust (SLV) is 18.91%, while ProShares UltraShort Silver (ZSL) has a volatility of 37.36%. This indicates that SLV experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ZSL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SLV | ZSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 18.91% | 37.36% | -18.45% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 57.27% | 104.15% | -46.88% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 57.07% | 116.32% | -59.25% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 35.28% | 72.42% | -37.14% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.36% | 64.24% | -32.88% |