Silver prices reached a record high above $60 per ounce in December 2025, driven by rising demand for the metal in advanced semiconductor manufacturing and data center infrastructure critical to artificial intelligence development. The surge underscores silver’s expanding role in high-tech industrial applications beyond traditional uses.
- Silver prices exceeded $60 per ounce in December 2025, setting a new record high.
- Industrial demand for silver in semiconductors and AI infrastructure rose 42% over 18 months.
- Silver now accounts for up to 70% of conductive materials in next-generation AI chips.
- Data centers deploying AI accelerators rely on silver in power delivery and thermal systems.
- Industrial demand share of silver has grown to 55%, up from 40% in 2022.
- Silver ETFs reported record inflows, and futures markets show elevated premium trading.
Silver prices climbed above $60 per ounce in mid-December 2025, marking a new all-time high and signaling a structural shift in the metal’s market dynamics. This milestone reflects intensified industrial demand, particularly from semiconductor producers and data center operators scaling infrastructure to support AI workloads. The increase follows a 42% rise in silver consumption within the electronics sector over the past 18 months, according to industry tracking data. The surge is directly tied to the global expansion of AI-driven computing. Major chipmakers, including TSMC and Intel, have increased their use of silver-based conductive inks and plating in advanced packaging technologies such as chiplets and 3D stacking. These processes require high-purity silver for superior electrical conductivity, with silver accounting for up to 70% of the conductive material in next-generation AI chips. Data centers deploying AI accelerators, including NVIDIA’s H100 and B100 series, also rely on silver-rich components in power delivery systems and thermal management substrates. The price surge has prompted strategic stockpiling by several Asian electronics manufacturers and prompted new mining projects in Mexico and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Silver’s industrial demand share now exceeds 55%, up from 40% in 2022, according to global commodity analytics. This shift has narrowed the gap between industrial and investment demand, making silver a key indicator of technological adoption trends. Financial markets have responded, with silver ETFs seeing record inflows and futures contracts trading at premium levels. The price movement has also drawn attention from regulatory bodies monitoring supply chain resilience in critical materials. As AI infrastructure continues to scale, silver’s role as a foundational material is expected to grow, potentially pushing prices toward $70 per ounce by mid-2026 if current trends persist.