Silver has gone absolutely vertical. If you’ve looked at your screen lately and felt a bit of whiplash, you aren't alone. As of Saturday, January 17, 2026, the live silver spot price is sitting at $90.88 per ounce.
That's a wild number. Honestly, it’s a level that would have seemed like a fever dream just a couple of years ago. We’ve seen a minor dip of about 2.12% in the last 24 hours, but don’t let that tiny red candle fool you. In the last year, silver is up nearly 200%. It’s basically the "high beta" sibling of gold that finally decided to outrun everyone in the room.
What's The Price Of Silver Today And Why Is It Moving?
The market is in what traders call "price discovery mode." This is a fancy way of saying silver has broken through every historical ceiling and nobody knows exactly where the roof is anymore.
Why is this happening? It’s not just one thing. It's a messy, complicated pile-up of factors. First, you've got the Federal Reserve. They've been cutting rates even though inflation is still acting like a stubborn houseguest. When rates drop, silver usually flies. Then there’s the industrial side.
Silver isn't just for coins. It's the literal backbone of the green energy transition. Solar panels? They need silver. Electric vehicles? Loads of it.
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The China Factor
A huge chunk of today's price action comes from what’s happening in the East. China’s silver inventories have essentially collapsed. They are the world’s biggest producer and consumer, and right now, they're hording it for their own solar and defense sectors.
- Supply Shortage: Global demand has exceeded mine supply for five years running.
- Central Bank Shift: Countries are moving away from the U.S. dollar and grabbing "hard assets" like gold and silver.
- The Gold-Silver Ratio: It’s crashing. Historically, it took 67 ounces of silver to buy one ounce of gold. Now, silver is gaining ground so fast that the ratio is diving toward the 50s.
Is $100 Silver Actually Possible?
Talk to ten analysts and you'll get twelve opinions. But right now, firms like Bank of America and independent researchers at Vanda are looking at triple digits with a straight face.
The move we're seeing in early 2026 is different from the "Silver Squeeze" of 2021. Back then, it was a social media meme. Today, it’s structural. Huge institutional funds are re-allocating their portfolios. They aren't just "dipping a toe in"; they are treating silver as a core macro asset.
Fawad Razaqzada, a heavy-hitter market analyst, recently pointed out that while the trend is screamingly bullish, we are "stretched." He's watching the $80.00 mark as a floor. If we break that, things could get ugly fast. But if we stay above $90.00? $100 is the next psychological magnet.
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What Most People Get Wrong About Buying Right Now
The biggest mistake is FOMO.
Fear Of Missing Out is a hell of a drug. When you see silver jump 25% in the first two weeks of January alone, it’s tempting to throw your life savings at it. But look at the numbers. Silver just hit an all-time high of over $93 before pulling back to the current $90.88.
Wait for the dip. Experts like Hiren Chandaria from Monetary Metals suggest a gradual "buy-in" strategy. Don't buy the peak. Markets breathe. They move up, they pull back, they consolidate. If you’re looking at what's the price of silver today and thinking about jumping in, remember that volatility works both ways.
Breaking Down the Costs
If you go to a local coin shop or an online dealer like JM Bullion or SD Bullion, you won't pay $90.88. That’s the "spot" price—the paper price for raw metal.
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You’ll pay a "premium."
- Silver Eagles: Usually carry the highest premiums because of their government backing.
- Silver Bars: Often the cheapest way to get the most metal for your dollar.
- Junk Silver: Old 90% silver US coins (pre-1965) are great for liquidity but are becoming harder to find.
The Reality of the "Shortage"
Is the world running out of silver? Not exactly. But we are running out of deliverable silver at these prices.
Most silver is a by-product. It’s found while mining for copper or lead. You can’t just "turn on" a silver mine because the price went up. It takes years to build a new mine. This means supply is "inelastic." Even if the price doubles, the amount of silver coming out of the ground stays roughly the same for a long time.
That’s why the price spikes are so violent. When demand from the AI and solar industries hits a wall of fixed supply, the only thing that can give is the price.
Strategic Next Steps For You
If you are tracking the silver market today, don't just stare at the charts. Take these specific actions to protect your downside while staying exposed to the upside:
- Check the Premium: Before you buy, subtract the current $90.88 spot price from the dealer's price. If the premium is over 15-20% for generic bars, you're likely overpaying.
- Verify Your Storage: If you're buying physical metal, have a safe or a third-party vault ready. Don't let $10,000 worth of silver sit in a sock drawer.
- Watch the $84 Level: This was last year’s high. If silver corrects, this is where many experts expect "big money" to step back in and buy the dip.
- Diversify Your Entry: Instead of one big purchase, split your intended investment into four parts. Buy one part now, and wait two weeks for the next. This "dollar-cost averaging" kills the stress of bad timing.
Silver is currently the most exciting—and arguably the most dangerous—asset on the board. The fundamentals are the strongest they've been in forty years, but the vertical move requires a cool head. Keep an eye on those support levels and don't let the "moon" talk distract you from the reality of market cycles.