GLD vs SLV Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
GLD and SLV both provide physical precious metal exposure, but gold and silver have different demand drivers and risk-return profiles. GLD is a monetary and safe-haven asset driven by real rates and geopolitical risk, while SLV is a hybrid metal where industrial demand from solar and electronics adds economic cycle sensitivity. GLD is appropriate for portfolio hedging; SLV is appropriate for investors who want precious metals exposure with additional upside from clean energy demand.
GLD vs SLV is a choice between pure monetary metal exposure (gold) and a hybrid industrial/monetary metal (silver) — gold is a more reliable portfolio hedge, while silver offers higher volatility and potential upside tied to both precious metals cycles and clean energy demand growth.
GLD and SLV are closely matched — they split the tracked metrics evenly. SLV has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+3.54% vs -1.76% for GLD).
- prefer gold's lower volatility and stronger safe-haven characteristics as a portfolio hedge
- value gold's central bank demand and monetary reserve status as a price floor mechanism
- want precious metals exposure with low equity correlation for portfolio diversification purposes
- are comfortable with no income generation and returns driven purely by gold price appreciation
- prefer silver's higher beta to precious metals bull markets for greater upside potential
- value silver's industrial demand from solar panels and EVs as an additional structural growth driver
- want to bet on the gold-to-silver ratio compressing (silver outperforming gold) in a metals bull market
- are comfortable with higher volatility and deeper drawdowns than gold in exchange for greater upside potential
| Metric | GLD | SLV |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 26.8 | 26.8 |
| Latest closei | $361.65 | $45.57 |
| 1M returni | -4.86% | -16.75% |
| 3M returni | -2.71% | -13.13% |
| 6M returni | -12.79% | -30.89% |
| 1Y returni | -1.76% | +3.54% |
The ETF score weights long-term returns and risk-adjusted performance most heavily, but still rewards low expense ratios, larger fund size, and broader diversification — so it can favor low-cost, broad, mega-cap funds over smaller thematic or actively-managed funds even when the latter have delivered stronger returns.
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | GLD | SLV |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $9.81K (-1.9%) started 2025-11-03 | $10.41K (+4.1%) started 2025-11-03 |
| 5Y ago | $21.82K (+118.2%) started 2021-11-03 | $20.89K (+108.9%) started 2021-11-03 |
| 10Y ago | $29.09K (+190.9%) started 2016-11-03 | $26.16K (+161.6%) started 2016-11-03 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | GLD | SLV |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.40% | 0.50% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $141.7B | $29.96B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Trailing P/Ei | N/A | N/A |
| Betai | 0.19 | 0.53 |
| 52-week change | -1.76% | 3.54% |
| Metric | GLD | SLV |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | -1.76% | +3.54% |
| 6M returni | -12.79% | -30.89% |
| 3M returni | -2.71% | -13.13% |
| 1M returni | -4.86% | -16.75% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | -0.08 | 0.33 |
| Betai | 0.19 | 0.53 |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 5Y CAGR | +16.90% | +15.89% |
Over the past year, GLD and SLV have moved strongly in the same direction (correlation of 0.84), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | GLD | SLV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | -1.93% | +4.14% |
| CAGRi | -1.94% | +4.15% | |
| Volatilityi | 28.61% | 62.94% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | -0.08 | 0.33 | |
| Sortino ratioi | -0.11 | 0.42 | |
| Max drawdowni | 28.26% | 57.77% | |
| Current drawdowni | 27.07% | 56.85% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 13.36% | 31.34% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 16.12% | 36.26% | |
| Max daily dropi | 10.27% | 28.54% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 12.25% | 36.83% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +118.16% | +108.94% |
| CAGRi | +16.90% | +15.89% | |
| Volatilityi | 19.06% | 37.69% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.68 | 0.47 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.95 | 0.63 | |
| Max drawdowni | 28.26% | 57.77% | |
| Current drawdowni | 27.07% | 56.85% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 7.02% | 14.99% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 9.79% | 20.06% | |
| Max daily dropi | 10.27% | 28.54% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 12.25% | 36.83% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +190.95% | +161.60% |
| CAGRi | +11.28% | +10.10% | |
| Volatilityi | 16.50% | 32.65% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.46 | 0.33 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.64 | 0.44 | |
| Max drawdowni | 28.26% | 57.77% | |
| Current drawdowni | 27.07% | 56.85% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 7.23% | 16.03% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 9.33% | 19.39% | |
| Max daily dropi | 10.27% | 28.54% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 12.25% | 36.83% |
| Category | GLD | SLV |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | SPDR Gold Shares | iShares Silver Trust |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.40% | 0.50% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $141.7B | $29.96B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.00% | 0.00% |
- Gold is the premier safe-haven asset held by central banks globally, providing floor demand from sovereign reserve managers
- Low or negative equity correlation makes GLD an effective portfolio hedge during risk-off events
- Deep liquidity and mature options market provide flexibility for institutional hedging strategies
- Industrial demand from solar panels and EVs creates structural demand growth independent of purely monetary drivers
- Silver historically outperforms gold in the second and later stages of precious metals bull markets (silver 'catches up')
- Dual monetary/industrial nature means SLV can respond to both inflation hedging demand and economic growth simultaneously
- Gold generates no income — total return is entirely price appreciation, making it a poor choice in high real-rate environments
- 0.40% expense ratio is higher than IAU, and gold's returns in low-inflation, rising-rate environments can be negative for extended periods
- Gold price can be volatile in the short term despite its safe-haven reputation
- Higher volatility than gold — silver moves more sharply in both directions, creating larger drawdowns during risk-off periods
- Industrial demand sensitivity means silver can decline with base metals during economic slowdowns even if gold holds up
- 0.50% expense ratio is the highest of the major precious metals ETFs
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