Silver futures, tracked by the iShares Silver Trust (NYSE:SLV), staged a recovery on Tuesday, following Monday’s historic plunge which marked the sharpest single-day decline in five years.
- SLV shares are climbing. See the chart and price action here.
The white metal, which has outshone almost every other asset class in 2025, found support as buyers rushed in to capitalize on the dip, dragging gold, copper and platinum upward in a broad metals rally.
Monday’s Crash
Monday’s flash crash had multiple triggers:
The CME Group’s hike in margin requirements raised the cost of a single silver contract to $25,000, triggering forced liquidations, which combined with a wave of profit-taking to turn the dip into a rout. After silver’s blistering 180% year-to-date gain, many traders locked in profits before the 2026 tax year began.
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Rumors swirled on social media regarding an unverified massive margin call involving one of the “Big 8” bullion banks.
Additionally, reports of a potential peace breakthrough in the Ukraine-Russia conflict briefly dented silver’s safe-haven premium, creating a liquidity vacuum that saw prices plummet from nearly $84/oz to the $72 range in a matter of hours.
Other metals, including gold, copper and platinum, also tumbled Monday.
Tuesday’s Rebound
The retreat proved short-lived. By Tuesday, silver was up over 5%, reclaiming ground as investors focused on the structural supply deficits that have plagued the market for years.
Other metals followed:
- Gold, tracked by the SPDR Gold Shares ETF (NYSE:GLD), recovered from its dip below $4,400/oz, supported by persistent central bank accumulation and geopolitical hedging.
- Platinum, tracked by the abrdn Physical Platinum Shares ETF (NYSE:PPLT), jumped over 5% Tuesday, continuing its status as a “catch-up” favorite.
- Copper, tracked by the Global X Copper Miners ETF (NYSE:COPX), rose as supply constraints in AI-driven demand for data centers outweighed temporary technical selling.
A Year for the History Books
Despite the recent turbulence, 2025 remains a stand-out year for metals. While the S&P 500 has delivered a respectable 18% year-to-date, the metals complex has far surpassed it:
| Metal | 2025 YTD Gain | Key Driver |
| Silver | 164% | Solar energy & industrial shortage |
| Platinum | 147% | Supply deficits & investment demand |
| Gold | 66% | Central bank buying & de-dollarization |
| Copper | 43% | Electrification & AI infrastructure |
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