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SIVR has a lower expense ratio and higher assets under management than PPLT.
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PPLT’s five-year decline was milder, but SIVR generated stronger five-year growth at $1,000.
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Both funds track physical precious metals with no reported sector biases or peculiarities.
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He Abrdn Physical Silver Stock ETF (NYSEMKT:SIVR) charges less and manages more assets, while the Abrdn Physical Platinum Stock ETF (NYSEMKT:PPLT) has experienced minor reductions in the last five years.
Both SIVR and PPLT are physically backed precious metals funds offered by Aberdeen Investments, designed to give investors easy exposure to silver or platinum. This comparison highlights the differences in cost, risk, liquidity, and return for those who weight silver versus platinum in their portfolios.
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Metric
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SIVR
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PPLT
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Editor
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Investments in Aberdeen
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Investments in Aberdeen
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Expense ratio
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0.30%
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0.60%
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1 year return (from 01/09/2026)
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162.9%
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135.6%
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Beta
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1.44
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0.89
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AUM
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$5.43 billion
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2.86 billion dollars
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Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; Beta is calculated from five-year weekly returns. The 1-year return represents the total return over the past 12 months.
SIVR is more affordable with an expense ratio of 0.30%, compared to 0.60% for PPLT. That cost difference could attract long-term investors looking to minimize fees, especially given SIVR’s larger assets under management.
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Metric
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SIVR
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PPLT
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Maximum reduction (5 years)
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-38.61%
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-35.73%
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$1,000 growth in 5 years
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$3,149
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$2,133
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PPLT is a single-asset ETF backed by physical platinum, which aims to provide investors with cost-effective access to platinum price movements while minimizing credit risk. The fund has not reported any sector breakdown or notable holdings as it only holds platinum bullion and has been in operation for 16 years. PPLT does not report any unique structural peculiarities or tracking index.
Similarly, SIVR tracks the price of physical silver and does not report sector exposure or individual holdings, acting as a simple play on silver prices. Both funds are designed for investors who want direct exposure to commodities without the complexity of storing and insuring the metals themselves.
For more guidance on investing in ETFs, check out the full guide at this link.
SIVR and PPLT track the spot prices of physical silver and platinum, respectively, by keeping metal bars in secure vaults. Over the past year, both ETFs crushed the S&P 500It’s a gain of about 20%, but silver’s performance significantly outpaced platinum’s gain. Silver benefits from dual demand as an investment asset and a critical industrial metal used largely in solar panels and electronics. Platinum, one of the rarest metals on Earth, saw its rally driven by automobile supply and demand constraints, among other factors.
PPLT charges a 0.60% expense ratio, double SIVR’s 0.30% fee, reflecting the higher storage and handling costs of platinum due to its extreme rarity. Neither fund pays dividends as they hold the physical metal in secure vaults rather than generating income. Both funds are substantially smaller than their gold counterparts: SIVR holds approximately $5.4 billion in assets compared to PPLT’s $2.8 billion.
Precious metals ETFs make sense if you’re looking to diversify beyond stocks and bonds or hedge against inflation and currency concerns, although you should be prepared for significant volatility. If you want exposure to the precious metal with the broadest industrial applications and more established market liquidity, silver manufacturing demand and renewable energy tailwinds make SIVR an affordable option. But if you’re betting that supply shortages and automotive demand will continue to support prices for one of the planet’s rarest elements, platinum’s structural deficits and smaller market make PPLT a compelling, if more volatile, option.
ETFs: An exchange-traded fund that trades on stock exchanges like a stock and holds underlying assets.
Expense ratio: Annual fund fee, expressed as a percentage of assets, which covers management and operating costs.
Assets under management (AUM): Total market value of all assets overseen by a fund or manager.
Physically backed fund: An ETF that holds the actual commodity, such as bullion, rather than using derivatives or futures contracts.
Reduction: The percentage decrease from an investment’s peak value to its subsequent lowest point over a period.
Maximum reduction: The largest decline observed between the peak and trough in the value of an investment during a specific time period.
Beta: A measure of the volatility of an investment compared to a benchmark index, often the S&P 500.
Total profitability: Overall return on investment, including price changes plus any income, assuming all payments are reinvested.
Liquidity: How quickly and easily an asset or fund can be bought or sold without significantly affecting its price.
Tracking index: A benchmark index that a fund aims to replicate or follow in performance and composition.
Credit risk: The risk that a counterparty or issuer will be unable to meet its financial obligations to investors.
Exposure to raw materials: Investment exposure to commodities such as metals, energy, or agricultural products, typically through futures or physically backed funds.
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Sara Appino has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
SIVR vs. PPLT: Riding the Explosive 2025 Silver and Platinum Rally was originally published by The Motley Fool
