iShares Silver Trust (SLV) is having quite the day Friday, pushing to new 52-week highs as silver continues its remarkable outperformance versus gold. If you've been watching precious metals lately, you've noticed silver is on an absolute tear.
The numbers tell the story: spot silver has rocketed more than 85% in 2025, jumping from under $30 an ounce to above $54 by October. That's the kind of move that makes traders sit up and pay attention.
Why Silver Is Soaring
Consultancy firm Metal Focus thinks silver could hit $60 next year, and the fundamentals support that optimism. The rally isn't just momentum—it's being fueled by genuinely tight inventories, steady investor inflows, and a structural supply shortfall that isn't going away anytime soon.
London stockpiles are running thin after heavy withdrawals tied to strong Indian demand, rising ETF holdings, and precautionary buying stateside. When physical supply gets constrained like this, prices tend to move fast.
Solar Demand Is the Real Story
Industrial demand for silver jumped to 689.1 million ounces in 2024, up from 644 million the year before. The big driver? Solar panels, which consumed 244 million ounces—a sharp rise from 191.8 million in 2023 and more than double the 94.4 million used in 2020.
Global solar capacity additions reached about 600 gigawatts in 2024 and are on track to climb toward 1,000 gigawatts by 2030. The International Energy Agency projects roughly 4,000 gigawatts of new solar capacity will be installed worldwide between 2024 and 2030. That growth trajectory suggests solar alone could lift silver demand by roughly 150 million ounces annually by 2030.
What It Means for SLV
iShares Silver Trust's (SLV) year-to-date performance of 88.8% reflects the underlying strength in silver prices and bullish investor sentiment toward precious metals. The ETF is currently trading significantly above its calculated support level of $44.94, signaling robust demand and a positive outlook.
Without a defined resistance level in sight, the stock may continue pushing toward psychological barriers as traders watch for any pullbacks that could offer entry points. The RSI signal remains neutral, suggesting that while the stock has surged, there's still potential for further gains without hitting overbought territory.
Price Action: iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was up 5.92% at $51.27 Friday, trading at a new 52-week high.