After a brutal month in which silver (XAGUSD) defied its safe-haven logic amid global inflation fears, silver exchange-traded funds (ETFs) soared in Wednesday’s pre-market. This followed President Donald Trump’s Tuesday evening announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the U.S. and Israel’s war on Iran.
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Silver ETFs Surge on 2-Week Ceasefire Deal
After a brutal month-long slump driven by global inflation fears that undermined silver’s (XAGUSD) usual safe-haven appeal, silver exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are now surging in Wednesday’s pre-market trade.
The ceasefire is conditional upon the reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of the global oil supply passes. The announcement sent oil prices below $100 per barrel, but the spot prices of gold (XAUUSD) and ETFs that track this precious metal have shot up on the news.
As of 8:35 a.m. EST, the price of the following silver ETFs jumped:
- ProShares Ultra Silver (AGQ) — 12.29% to $125.14
- ETFMG Prime Junior Silver Miners (SILJ) — 7.52% to $32.90
- iShares Silver Trust (SLV) — 6.19% to $70.02
- Aberdeen Standard Physical Silver Shares (SIVR) — 6.19% to $73.54
AGQ vs. SILJ: How Do the Top Performers Compare?
The TipRanks Best Silver ETFs tool shows that of the four funds highlighted above, the SILJ leads in terms of performance since the start of the year, having jumped by almost 11%.
While the AGQ emerges as the leader in terms of performance over the last 12 months, the fund has dropped about 29% since the start of January 2026. Over the past year, AGQ has climbed by about 231%, followed by the SILJ at roughly 194% gain.
AGQ uses short-term futures contracts to benefit from movements in silver’s price, while SILJ invests in junior mining companies that are primarily engaged in the exploration and development of silver deposits.
Which Silver ETF Is the Best Buy?
In terms of assets under management, AGQ currently oversees $2.02 billion and charges an expense ratio of 0.95%, while SILJ manages a much larger $4.14 billion at an expense ratio of 0.69%.
TipRanks’ one-month technical indicators rate both ETFs as a Buy, but SILJ stands out with stronger signals than AGQ, plus lower fees and superior year-to-date performance. This suggests SILJ is the more compelling choice.
