Key Points
Global X - Silver Miners ETF manages significantly more assets under management and focuses on silver extraction firms while Sprott Gold Miners ETF targets gold miners in North America
Sprott Gold Miners ETF offers a more affordable expense ratio and has historically shown a lower beta and a milder maximum drawdown over the last five years
Global X - Silver Miners ETF has delivered substantially higher total returns over the trailing 12 months despite having a higher cost of ownership
- 10 stocks we like better than Sprott Funds Trust - Sprott Gold Miners ETF ›
Comparing Sprott Gold Miners ETF (NYSEMKT:SGDM) and Global X - Silver Miners ETF (NYSEMKT:SIL) highlights the differences between lower-cost gold mining exposure and a more expensive, silver-focused portfolio with higher recent volatility.
Both funds target the materials sector but focus on different precious metals. While SIL provides a broad look at the silver mining industry, SGDM narrows its scope to gold miners listed in North America. These ETFs allow investors to gain exposure to metal prices through equity in companies that extract them, which can often lead to more pronounced price swings than holding the metals directly.
Snapshot (cost & size)
| Metric | SIL | SGDM |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Global X | Sprott |
| Expense ratio | 0.65% | 0.50% |
| 1-yr return (as of Apr. 28, 2026) | 116.3% | 73.4% |
| Dividend yield | 1.14% | 1.02% |
| AUM | $5.1 billion | $668.6 million |
The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield.
The Sprott fund is more affordable for long-term holders, carrying a 0.50% expense ratio compared to the 0.65% charged by the Global X fund. Payouts are similar between the two, as the Global X fund has a 1.10% yield against the 1.00% offered by its counterpart.
Performance & risk comparison
| Metric | SIL | SGDM |
|---|---|---|
| Max drawdown (5 yr) | (55.60%) | (45.00%) |
| Growth of $1,000 over 5 years (total return) | $2,141 | $2,562 |
What's inside
Sprott Gold Miners ETF (NYSEMKT:SGDM) focuses entirely on the basic materials sector, holding 39 stocks primarily from the U.S. and Canada. Launched in 2014, it is a non-diversified fund that prioritizes companies with high revenue growth and low debt-to-equity ratios. Its largest positions include Agnico Eagle Mines (NYSE:AEM) at 11.15%, Newmont (NYSE:NEM) at 8.55%, and Barrick Mining (NYSE:B) at 8.40%. It has paid $0.73 per share over the trailing 12 months. This concentration in North American gold producers has resulted in a lower beta than its silver-focused peer.
In contrast, Global X - Silver Miners ETF (NYSEMKT:SIL) is also 100% weighted toward basic materials but focuses exclusively on silver. Launched in 2010, its portfolio of 38 holdings corresponds to the Solactive Global Silver Miners Total Return Index. Its top positions include Wheaton Precious Metals (NYSE:WPM) at 22.13%, Pan American Silver (NYSE:PAAS) at 12.20%, and Coeur Mining (NYSE:CDE) at 7.95%. The fund has a trailing-12-month dividend of $0.99 per share. Because it tracks silver miners globally, it provides broader geographic diversity but has historically faced more significant drawdowns than the Sprott fund.
For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.
What this means for investors
Before getting too excited about the dividend yields these ETFs offer at the moment, it’s important to realize they usually distribute much less. Between 2014 and 2024, SGDM’s largest annual dividend payment was $0.36 per share, and there were a couple of years in which it distributed nothing. In 2023 and 2024 combined, SIL paid dividends totaling approximately $0.24 per share. If gold and silver prices go back to normal levels, the dividend payments these ETFs provide could shrink dramatically.
Neither one of these ETFs is very diversified. Agnico Eagle Mines makes up 11.14% of SGDM’s portfolio. About 28% of its assets are tied up in its top three holdings. The SIL portfolio is even less diversified. Its top three holdings represent about 42% of the portfolio.
Investors not worried about higher volatility could find what they’re looking for with the SIL ETF. With silver’s use in high-growth industries rising, silver prices have outpaced gold’s by a mile over the past year.
Should you buy stock in Sprott Funds Trust - Sprott Gold Miners ETF right now?
Before you buy stock in Sprott Funds Trust - Sprott Gold Miners ETF, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Sprott Funds Trust - Sprott Gold Miners ETF wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $497,606!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,306,846!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 985% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 200% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of April 29, 2026.
Cory Renauer 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.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
