Which returned more over the last year, GOVT or SLV?

In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, GOVT returned −1.0% and SLV returned +53.8%, so SLV returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.

Which is cheaper, GOVT or SLV?

GOVT charges 0.05% a year and SLV charges 0.50%, so GOVT is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

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

ETFIQetfiq.com · independent ETF data

GOVT vs SLV: how they differ

GOVT is a bond index fund and SLV a commodity fund, and over the year SLV returned more, +53.8% against −1.0%.

iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF and iShares Silver Trust.

GOVT and SLV on the fields both publish, as of Sep 12, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
	GOVT iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF	SLV iShares Silver Trust
Where it sits	Core index fund	Core index fund
Issuer	iShares	iShares
What it is	U.S. Treasury Bond	Silver
Total return, 1 year	−1.0%	+53.8%
S&P 500 over the same days	+17.5%	+17.5%
Gap to the S&P 500	−18.5 pts	+36.3 pts
Expense ratio	0.05%	0.50%
Holdings	223	not filed

GOVT in plain words

GOVT is a bond fund tracking the U.S. Treasury Bond. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned −1.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.05% a year. It sat 8.4% below its high of Aug 4, 2020 on Sep 11, 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, GOVT or SLV?: In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, GOVT returned −1.0% and SLV returned +53.8%, so SLV returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
Which is cheaper, GOVT or SLV?: GOVT charges 0.05% a year and SLV charges 0.50%, so GOVT is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

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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.

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

A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources