Compared to gold, silver is often overlooked. While silver may lack gold’s astonishing price per ounce (the price of gold rose to over $5,100 in early March), it can be a smart investment. Its lower price makes it more accessible to regular investors and it has seen significant gains in recent years.
What’s next for silver prices? This is what is driving the changes in the value of silver and how it might behave in the future.
Read more: How to invest in silver: a beginner’s guide
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The price of silver will more than double by 2025.
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Many experts believe that the price of silver could exceed $100 per ounce.
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Demand for silver is higher due to increased industrial demand for solar panels, automobiles, and electronics.
At the beginning of 2025, the price of silver was about $30. By early 2026, the price had more than doubled, reaching $79. With such a steep rise, many investors are taking another look at silver. But before investing your money in silver, it’s important to understand what factors affect your cost per ounce:
When it comes to precious metals, inflation is one of the biggest price drivers. When the value of the US dollar falls, investors often put their cash into physical assets like silver or gold to protect against inflation.
The price of silver tends to rise during periods of higher than usual inflation. For example, in 2019 inflation was below 2%. During that time, the price of silver was about $15 an ounce. In 2022, when inflation reached 9.1%, the price of silver was about $23 an ounce, an increase of 23% in three years.
When central banks, such as the Federal Reserve, raise rates, banks tend to increase the annual percentage yields (APY) on savings accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs), and other deposit accounts. As a result, investors put more money into bonds and other interest-bearing assets rather than assets like silver, which pay no interest.
When rates fall, silver becomes more attractive and its price tends to rise.
| Effective federal funds rate | silver price | |
|---|---|---|
| January 2016 | 0.36% | $13.78 |
| January 2017 | 0.66% | $17.10 |
| January 2018 | 1.42% | $17.16 |
| January 2019 | 2.40% | $15.58 |
| January 2020 | 1.54% | $17.83 |
| January 2021 | 0.09% | $25.35 |
| January 2022 | 0.08% | $23.59 |
| January 2023 | 4.33% | $23.94 |
| January 2024 | 5.33% | $22.77 |
| January 2025 | 4.33% | $30.41 |
| January 2026 | 3.64% | $72.82 |
Economic instability and uncertainty
Political instability, wars, and financial crises can drive investors away from traditional investments like stocks and bonds toward alternative investments like silver. During periods of uncertainty or turmoil, investors prefer investments they can see or hold, such as physical silver coins, so the price of silver rises.
Silver price forecasts vary greatly depending on the expert. Some say the price of silver will remain stable or see modest growth, while others predict huge price spikes. Here are some of the most important predictions for the price of silver:
Experts at BlackRock and JP Morgan agree that the outlook for silver remains good and its price will increase. By the end of 2026, experts predict that the price of silver will exceed $80 per ounce and could reach $100 per ounce in 2030.
Does that mean you should buy a lot of silver? Please note that predictions may change and you may revise your forecasts at any time.
With conflict in the Middle East, investors are increasingly concerned about economic turmoil and disruptions to the manufacturing supply chain. Historically, that means investors will increasingly buy precious metals, like silver.
Because purchasing an ounce of gold is prohibitively expensive for new investors, silver coins or bars are a more accessible entry point, so there may be greater demand.
Compared to gold, the price of silver tends to be more volatile, with more ups and downs. Its price fluctuates due to changes in industrial demand and investor confidence.
For example, in early January 2026, the price of silver exceeded $113 per ounce. But in February, its price fell to $77 per ounce, a decline of about 32% in just a few weeks.
Read more: Silver Price Volatility: What to Know and How to Investt
If silver price forecasts have tempted you to invest in silver, here are some tips to keep in mind:
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Invest for the long term: The price of silver can fluctuate significantly from week to week. Instead of looking for short-term gains, plan to buy and hold silver for long-term goals.
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Diversify your investments: Given the volatility of silver, it should represent only a small percentage of your portfolio.
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Expect price fluctuations: If you review your stock portfolio daily, think twice before doing the same with silver. Its price fluctuations could cause you to panic and sell prematurely. Instead, focus on long-term growth.
Read more: Invest in silver or other metals? Here’s how to avoid taxes.
The price of silver can rise, but predicting short-term changes is very difficult. Historically, silver prices rise during periods of geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty.
It is highly unlikely that silver will reach $1,000 an ounce any time soon. To reach that price, currency values ​​would have to fall significantly and there would have to be a sharp increase in industrial demand. A more realistic price would be $100 per ounce within one to five years.
While it is difficult to say how much silver will be worth, as many variables affect its price, a value between $100 and $150 per ounce is possible.