Silver prices hit a new all-time high: soaring to $79.68 in a single day, with an increase of over 175% year-to-date.

Silver markets experienced a remarkable rally by the end of 2025. According to Trading Economics data, spot silver briefly rose to $79.68 per ounce on December 29, with a daily increase of 0.72%.

More macroeconomic data shows that silver prices surged 37.48% over the past month, and compared to the same period last year, the increase reached an astonishing 175.35%. Just recently, silver hit a record high of $81.82 per ounce.

01 Price Surge

The silver market is undergoing a historic rally. As of December 29, spot silver closed at $79.68 per ounce, up 0.72% for the day.

This isn’t a coincidental spike. Looking back to December 26, silver prices first broke through the $77 per ounce mark, with a single-day increase of 7%, and the year-to-date cumulative gain once expanded to 167%.

Extending the timeline, the upward trend becomes even clearer. Over the past month, prices have increased by 37.48%; over the past year, this figure is 175.35%, demonstrating an extremely strong bull market trend.

The milestone event of this rally occurred at the end of December, when silver prices reached a historic high of $81.82 per ounce. Although there was a pullback due to profit-taking afterward, the market generally considers this just a technical correction within a strong trend.

02 Market Drivers

The explosive rise in silver prices is driven by multiple fundamental and technical factors.

From a macroeconomic perspective, market expectations of continued rate cuts by the Federal Reserve are the core catalyst. Easing monetary policy expectations reduce the opportunity cost of holding interest-free assets like silver, while also weakening the dollar, making dollar-denominated silver cheaper for holders of other currencies.

Geopolitical tensions, such as recent international events, have strengthened silver’s appeal as a traditional safe-haven asset, stimulating additional buying.

On the capital side, sustained and strong investment demand provides direct momentum. This includes strategic purchases by global central banks, large inflows into silver ETF products, and speculative trading triggered by supply-demand imbalances (such as the supply shortage event in October).

03 Market Outlook

Institutions offer a cautiously optimistic outlook for silver’s future trend.

According to Trading Economics’ global macro model and analyst expectations, by the end of this quarter (Q4 2025), silver prices are expected to trade around $79.19 per ounce.

Looking ahead 12 months, the model predicts silver could further climb to $86.71 per ounce.

Market strategists’ views are more aggressive. Peter Grant, Vice President and Senior Metal Strategist at Zaner Metals, stated: “Reaching $77 per ounce and then hitting $80 before the end of the year is an achievable target.”

His judgment is based on ongoing assessments of Federal Reserve policies, dollar trends, and geopolitical developments. The market is pricing in the possibility of two rate cuts in 2026, which will continue to support precious metals.

04 Investment Strategies

Faced with the strong rally in silver, investors have various ways to participate.

In traditional financial markets, direct investment in silver mining company stocks or related ETFs is an option. For example, the Global X Silver Miners ETF (SIL) has achieved a 109.33% return over the past year, providing investors with a convenient tool to quickly position in major silver mining companies worldwide.

For cryptocurrency and digital asset investors, platforms like Gate offer innovative participation methods.

Gate supports trading over 4,100 cryptocurrencies. In the field of silver-related digital assets, investors can focus on crypto assets pegged to precious metals or related.

For example, Tether Gold (XAUT), a stablecoin linked to physical gold, has good liquidity on the Gate platform. Such assets provide a bridge for investors wishing to allocate precious metals on the blockchain.

05 Platform Security

Trading in highly volatile markets requires choosing a safe and reliable platform. As a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, Gate offers solid security for investors.

According to CoinMarketCap data, Gate’s 24-hour spot trading volume exceeds $1.55 billion, and the platform’s total assets are valued at $6.7 billion.

More importantly, Gate is the world’s first mainstream exchange committed to and achieving 100% reserve backing. It collaborates with U.S. auditing firm Armanino LLP, which regularly discloses reserve proofs via open-source Merkle tree solutions.

By the end of 2025, Gate’s total reserve value reached $11.68 billion, with a reserve ratio of 124%, fully covering nearly 500 user assets, ensuring the safety and liquidity of user funds.

This strict risk control and transparency standard make Gate a trustworthy platform for investors exploring digital assets related to precious metals.

Silver at the Crossroads

As silver prices hover around the $80 mark, every market fluctuation draws the attention of global investors. From the peak of $81.82 to the current sideways movement, the chart traces the market’s complex expectations for the future.

This isn’t the first time silver has become a focal point, but it may be the first time at the intersection of a Federal Reserve rate-cut cycle, geopolitical conflicts, and the digital currency revolution.