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Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.

ETFIQetfiq.com · independent ETF data

GDX vs SLV: how they differ

Over the year SLV returned more, +53.8% against +40.2%, and SLV charges 0.50% against 0.51%.

VanEck Gold Miners ETF and iShares Silver Trust.

GDX and SLV on the fields both publish, as of Sep 12, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
GDX
VanEck Gold Miners ETF
SLV
iShares Silver Trust
Where it sitsThematic ETFCore index fund
IssuerVanEckiShares
What it isMiners and metalsSilver
Total return, 1 year+40.2%+53.8%
S&P 500 over the same days+17.5%+17.5%
Gap to the S&P 500+22.7 pts+36.3 pts
Expense ratio0.51%0.50%
Holdings59not filed

GDX in plain words

By weight, 11% of GDX's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 100%. The top ten holdings are 58% of the fund across 59 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 10, 2026. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 the fund returned +40.2% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for the S&P 500, so a holder was ahead by 22.7 pts. It sits 16.2% below its all-time high of Feb 27, 2026.

SLV in plain words

SLV is a commodity fund tracking the Silver. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +53.8% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.50% a year. It sat 45.0% below its high of Jan 28, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, GDX or SLV?
In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, GDX returned +40.2% and SLV returned +53.8%, so SLV returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
Which is cheaper, GDX or SLV?
GDX charges 0.51% a year and SLV charges 0.50%, so SLV is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Are GDX and SLV the same kind of fund?
No. GDX is a thematic ETF and SLV is an index ETF, so they are built for different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and what each actually holds.

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Where these figures came from

ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.

GDX against SLV, ETFIQ, data as of Sep 12, 2026. Every figure is arithmetic on a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this page. ETFIQ, GDX against SLV, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/GDX-SLV Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources