As 2025 enters its final quarter, one of Wall Street’s most talked-about themes is the so-called “debasement trade.” A wide range of real assets has surged to record highs, led by gold but increasingly joined by its smaller counterpart, silver.
The logic behind this trend is simple: With the second Trump administration’s unpredictable trade policies, the government shutdown, and ongoing deficit spending, investors are betting the real value of the U.S. dollar will continue to erode. Over decades, money supply and federal debt have exploded while the purchasing power of the dollar has steadily declined. Many investors on Wall Street and Main Street are finally waking up to this long-running reality.
As a result, hard assets that are resistant to monetary debasement have taken center stage. Silver stands out in this environment. Unlike gold, which is mostly used for jewelry and held by central banks as reserves, silver also benefits from powerful structural tailwinds tied to industrial demand. Its critical role in electrification, renewable energy, and advanced electronics gives it both defensive and growth characteristics.
Here are seven of the best silver exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to buy in 2025:
| ETF | Expense Ratio |
|————————————-|————–|
| iShares Silver Miners ETF (SIL) | 0.65% |
| Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ) | 0.69% |
| Kurv Silver Enhanced Income ETF (KSLV) | 1.00% |
| Sprott Physical Silver Trust (PSLV) | 0.57% |
| Sprott Silver Miners & Physical Silver ETF (SLVR) | 0.65% |
| iShares Silver Trust (SLV) | 0.50% |
### iShares Silver Trust (SLV)
“I really like silver ETFs over other ways to hold silver,” says Anessa Custovic, chief investment officer at Cardinal Retirement Planning Inc. “You get the diversification benefits of holding silver without the headache of trying to purchase and store bullion.”
The largest ETF in this segment is SLV, which holds just over $26 billion in assets under management (AUM) and has been around since April 2006. SLV holds 15,422 tonnes of silver in trust, or about 495.8 million ounces.
The ETF charges a 0.5% annual sponsor fee, which slightly reduces returns over time but remains far lower than the costs and spreads associated with buying and selling physical silver. It is also highly liquid, with a 0.02% 30-day median bid-ask spread and an average of 45 million shares traded over the same period.
### abrdn Physical Silver Shares ETF (SIVR)
“Physically backed silver ETFs offer three significant advantages over other types of silver investments: transparency, liquidity, and convenience,” says Sean August, CEO of the August Wealth Management Group.
“These ETFs regularly disclose the amount of silver held, are easily traded on major exchanges, and grant exposure to silver prices without the need to store and insure bullion.”
SIVR is a strong example of this approach. With $3.6 billion in AUM, it’s smaller than SLV but still a major player. Transparency is a key feature, as the ETF publishes a full list of silver bars complete with serial numbers.
It also has a cost advantage, charging a lower 0.3% expense ratio. For a $10,000 investment, that translates to an annual fee of just $30 compared to $50 for SLV.
### Global X Silver Miners ETF (SIL)
“Silver mining stocks can offer indirect exposure to silver prices and tend to be leveraged plays on silver prices, owing to the fixed costs of extracting the metal,” explains Roberta Caselli, commodities investment strategist at Global X ETFs.
“Unlike investing directly in silver, miners can expand production as profit margins grow, which can benefit their share prices.”
This mechanic produces leverage. For this role, Global X ETFs offers SIL, which has grown to be more popular than SIVR, with $4.2 billion in AUM. This ETF owns 38 silver miners as represented by the Solactive Global Silver Miners Total Return Index.
Investors can expect this ETF’s price to be more volatile than the spot price of silver itself. SIL charges a 0.65% expense ratio.
### Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ)
“SILJ provides focused exposure to small-cap companies driving silver production, exploration, and development,” explains Christian Magoon, CEO of Amplify ETFs.
“By tracking the Nasdaq Junior Silver Miners Index, SILJ captures the amplified performance potential of junior miners, which often move more sharply than silver itself.”
This ETF is even more volatile than SIL due to its speculative holdings. Many junior miners are still exploring for silver or ramping up production and therefore generate little to no profit. Their valuations depend heavily on future production potential and metal prices, making them highly sensitive to market swings.
As a result, SILJ tends to be a boom-or-bust ETF. In the current silver bull market, it has surged more than 132% year to date. The ETF charges a 0.69% expense ratio.
### Kurv Silver Enhanced Income ETF (KSLV)
Silver’s volatility creates opportunities for investors willing to use options-based income strategies. SLV, for instance, has an active options market that allows investors to sell covered calls or cash-secured puts to generate income.
KSLV automates this process by using cash collateral and SLV call and put options to earn option premiums in exchange for giving up some upside potential. As a newer ETF, KSLV’s yield has not yet been formally calculated, with the next ex-dividend date expected on October 22.
However, income is anticipated to be substantial since, all else being equal, higher volatility leads to richer option premiums for sellers. That income comes with a trade-off: capped returns during strong bull markets as gains on the underlying silver are limited by the options sold.
### Sprott Physical Silver Trust (PSLV)
PSLV also holds physical silver but differs structurally from an ETF. It is technically a closed-end fund (CEF), meaning it cannot create or redeem shares like open-ended ETFs.
Instead, it was issued with a fixed number of shares, so heavy buying or selling pressure can cause its market price to trade at a premium or discount to its net asset value (NAV). Currently, PSLV trades at a 3.2% discount.
With more than $11 billion in AUM and over 203 million ounces of silver held in trust, PSLV remains one of the most established silver investment vehicles. Managed by Sprott Asset Management, a firm known for its expertise in physical commodity products, PSLV is part of a broader suite that includes similar options for gold, copper, and even uranium.
The fund carries a 0.57% expense ratio.
### Sprott Silver Miners & Physical Silver ETF (SLVR)
SLVR serves as an all-in-one way to invest across the silver market. The ETF takes a hybrid approach, allocating at least 80% of its portfolio to the Nasdaq Sprott Silver Miners Index, which includes major global silver miners with a tilt toward Canadian producers given the country’s prominent role in natural resource extraction.
The portfolio currently tilts towards mid-cap silver miners. The remaining assets are invested in PSLV, giving investors direct exposure to physical silver without needing to manage a separate position.
This structure also spares investors the challenge of tracking PSLV’s premium or discount to NAV, as Sprott adjusts for it internally. SLVR has about $459 million in AUM and charges a 0.65% expense ratio, which includes the underlying costs of its PSLV allocation.
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*7 Best Silver ETFs to Buy* originally appeared on usnews.com
*Update 10/17/25: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.*
https://wtop.com/news/2025/10/7-best-silver-etfs-to-buy-3/
