Key Points
Retail investors have been flocking to silver in the past year.
In January, it reached an all-time high.
The iShares Silver Trust gives investors an easy way to track the precious metal's price.
- 10 stocks we like better than iShares Silver Trust ›
The price of silver has been proving to be volatile this year, sending investors on a bit of a roller coaster ride already in 2026. After hitting highs of more than $120 in January, silver fell sharply, only to end up rallying again. On Tuesday, the precious metal was trading around $82.
While there has been growing geopolitical uncertainty in the world of late, investors haven't been rushing out to load up on this safe-haven investment in recent days. Could that change, and could the price of silver get back to $100 this year?
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Silver is proving to be unpredictable this year
The recent volatility in silver highlights a big risk when it comes to speculative investments, and that's the unpredictability that comes with them. While in the past, silver may have made for a good way to diversify your portfolio, these days, it's become yet another way for retail investors to speculate on the market.
Given that silver has experienced such a significant run-up in value (a year ago, it was around just $30), it's increasingly difficult to suggest that it still possesses a whole lot more upside. While it may be down from its highs, it's still up big over the past 12 months. Silver's unpredictability, however, certainly makes it possible that it rises back up to $100, as all it takes is some hype and excitement from retail investors to do that. And as with meme stocks, crypto, and other speculative investments, it can happen without warning.
Is investing in a top silver ETF a good option right now?
The iShares Silver Trust (NYSEMKT: SLV) gives investors an easy way to gain exposure to silver, without having to actually own the physical metal. The exchange-traded fund (ETF) tracks the price of silver and, in doing so, has enabled investors to profit from the metal's rising value. In the past 12 months, the iShares ETF has risen by 188% -- far higher than the S&P 500's gains of just 16%.
In a more typical year, investing in the iShares Silver Trust might make for a good way to diversify your portfolio and add a bit of safety. This year, however, given the attention on silver and the volatility that has come with it of late, investing in the iShares ETF or anything to do with silver is much riskier than normal.
Until the price action around silver cools off, I'd avoid it and instead invest in dividend stocks, which can make for more stable and safe investments these days, plus provide you with some recurring income along the way.
Should you buy stock in iShares Silver Trust right now?
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David Jagielski, CPA 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.
