How much silver do major ETFs (e.g., SIVR, SLV) hold today and how is that data published?
Executive summary
iShares’ SLV is the dominant physically‑backed silver ETF and is reported by multiple outlets to hold on the order of hundreds of millions of ounces (or roughly 15,000+ metric tons, depending on the reporting unit), while abrdn’s SIVR is stated to be “nearly identical” in structure but materially smaller in assets and holdings; detailed, up‑to‑date ounce/tonnage figures are published by the funds themselves and aggregated by ETF data sites and financial press 247wallst.com/investing/2025/12/21/3-silver-etfs-riding-the-ai-boom-to-insane-returns/" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">[1] [2] [3]. The available reporting shows consistent characterization of SLV as the heavyweight and SIVR as a lower‑cost, smaller alternative, but the specific “today” number cannot be validated from a single canonical source among the documents provided [3] [4] [5].
1. What the major sources say about SLV’s raw silver holdings
Reporting sampled here lists SLV’s holdings in slightly different units and snapshots — 247wallst reports SLV holds about 516.5 million ounces of silver (presented as “over 510 million ounces”) and positions SLV as the market’s largest silver holding vehicle [1], while U.S. News describes SLV as holding approximately 15,230 metric tons of silver in trust [2]; both claims reflect the same broad fact — SLV stores hundreds of millions of ounces of physical silver — but the two figures illustrate how outlets will present the same bulk holdings in ounces versus metric tons without a single synchronized “as of” timestamp in the materials provided [1] [2].
2. How SIVR compares and what is publicly available about its holdings
Multiple ETF compare pages and writeups show SIVR and SLV are structurally similar — both are physically backed and track silver’s spot or LBMA benchmark — while SIVR is described as smaller and lower‑cost; the sources assert SIVR is “nearly identical” to SLV in how it operates but with a lower expense ratio and less total AUM, and they emphasize SIVR’s vaulting arrangements (ICBC Standard Bank) and transparency features without providing a single consolidated ounce or ton figure in the excerpts provided [3] [4] [6] [2].
3. Where these holdings numbers come from — issuer disclosures and data aggregators
The authoritative origin for holdings data is the fund issuers’ disclosures and prospectuses — for example iShares’ SLV product page and legal materials are the primary reference for how the trust holds and reports bullion [7] — and financial data platforms and ETF‑centric sites (ETF Database, ETF.com, Nasdaq, Seeking Alpha, etc.) aggregate and publish snapshot figures, charts and fact sheets derived from the issuers and market flows [5] [8] [9]. The reporting chain is issuer → regulatory/fund fact sheet/prospectus → data providers and financial press, and readers should treat press numbers as snapshots derived from the issuer’s releases and third‑party aggregation [7] [5] [8].
4. Frequency, format and transparency of published holdings data
The materials show funds make holdings and operational details publicly available via their official pages and through ETF databases and news outlets; ETF Database and ETF.com provide holdings tables and comparison tools, while issuers like iShares publish product pages and statutory documents that explain how the trust stores bullion and how investors can access fund facts [5] [7] [8]. The excerpts do not include a guaranteed “daily cadence” quote for every fund in this packet, so while many providers publish frequent updates (fact sheets, AUM snapshots and intra‑day NAVs), the precise update schedule and timestamp for the “today” number must be checked on the issuer’s site or the data aggregator’s latest feed [7] [8].
5. Discrepancies, caveats, and how to confirm the exact “today” amount
Published totals vary by outlet and unit (ounces vs metric tons) and depend on the timing of the snapshot; example reports show SLV at ~516.5 million ounces (247wallst) and ~15,230 metric tons (U.S. News), which are consistent in scale but reflect differing conversions and reporting dates [1] [2]. To confirm the precise current holdings for SLV or SIVR, consult the issuer’s official product page and the latest fund fact sheet and trust report (iShares for SLV, abrdn for SIVR) and cross‑check with live ETF data providers such as ETF Database, Nasdaq and ETF.com that aggregate issuer disclosures [7] [5] [8]. The excerpts here do not include a single issuer‑provided “as of” timestamp to declare a definitive “today” number.