Silver ETF's Historic Inception to Growth Milestone: From $25B to $50B in Record Time

Since its establishment in April 2006, the iShares Silver Trust ($SLV) has become a cornerstone of precious metals investment. Now, this flagship silver-backed exchange-traded fund has achieved an extraordinary milestone that underscores the explosive resurgence of interest in silver as an investment vehicle. According to analysis from Kobeissi Letter, $SLV’s assets under management have surged to $50 billion, demonstrating remarkable momentum in the precious metals sector.

Unprecedented Speed: A Record Acceleration in Asset Growth

The acceleration to this $50 billion threshold showcases the exceptional appetite for silver exposure among institutional and retail investors alike. Remarkably, this expansion occurred in just 100 trading sessions, marking the second-fastest trajectory for any U.S. ETF reaching the $25 billion to $50 billion range. Only the iShares Bitcoin ETF ($IBIT) achieved this growth more rapidly, accomplishing the milestone in under 50 trading days. By comparison, the iShares MSCI EAFE ETF ($IEFA), which tracks developed market equities outside the U.S. and Canada, required approximately 270 trading sessions to traverse the same asset expansion path. This disparity highlights how $SLV’s recent rally represents a historic outlier in ETF performance trajectories.

Market Frenzy: Daily Advances and Volume Explosion

The underlying market enthusiasm is reflected in concrete trading patterns. The $SLV ETF has registered five consecutive trading days with gains surpassing 3%—the longest such streak since the fund’s inception in 2006. This sustained bullish momentum has translated into extraordinary trading activity. Weekly volume for $SLV reached $79 billion, nearly doubling the previous all-time high recorded back in 2011. Such trading intensity signals institutional repositioning and retail capitulation to the white metals rally, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of buying pressure.

The Broader Implications

This remarkable resurgence in silver ETF assets and trading reflects a pivotal moment in how markets are reassessing precious metals. From inception through its early years to this current explosive phase, $SLV’s evolution mirrors shifting macroeconomic narratives and renewed inflation concerns. The scale and speed of current inflows represent an unprecedented validation of silver’s role within diversified investment portfolios during periods of economic uncertainty.