Total Capital Commitments, Unfunded Capital Commitments, and Our Ownership in Each Fund (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	$ 431,837
SVB Strategic Investors Fund, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	2,307
SVB Strategic Investors Fund II, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	9,262
SVB Strategic Investors Fund III, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	38,005
SVB Strategic Investors Fund IV, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	93,754
Strategic Investors Fund V Funds
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	251,235
SVB Capital Preferred Return Fund, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	17,342
SVB Capital-NT Growth Partners, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	15,704
Other private equity fund
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	4,228
Parent Company
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	512,733
Unfunded Commitments	95,607
Parent Company | Silicon Valley BancVentures, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	6,000
Unfunded Commitments	270
Ownership of each Fund	10.70%
Parent Company | SVB Capital Partners II, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	1,200	[1]
Unfunded Commitments	162	[1]
Ownership of each Fund	5.10%	[1]
Parent Company | SVB Capital Shanghai Yangpu Venture Capital Fund
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	931
Unfunded Commitments	160
Ownership of each Fund	6.80%
Parent Company | SVB Strategic Investors Fund, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	15,300
Unfunded Commitments	688
Ownership of each Fund	12.60%
Parent Company | SVB Strategic Investors Fund II, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	15,000
Unfunded Commitments	1,200
Ownership of each Fund	8.60%
Parent Company | SVB Strategic Investors Fund III, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	15,000
Unfunded Commitments	2,700
Ownership of each Fund	5.90%
Parent Company | SVB Strategic Investors Fund IV, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	12,239
Unfunded Commitments	3,672
Ownership of each Fund	5.00%
Parent Company | Strategic Investors Fund V Funds
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	1,000
Unfunded Commitments	833
Parent Company | SVB Capital Preferred Return Fund, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	12,688
Unfunded Commitments	0
Ownership of each Fund	20.00%
Parent Company | SVB Capital-NT Growth Partners, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	24,670
Unfunded Commitments	1,340
Ownership of each Fund	33.00%
Parent Company | Other private equity fund
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	9,338	[2]
Unfunded Commitments	0	[2]
Ownership of each Fund	58.20%	[2]
Parent Company | Partners for Growth, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	25,000
Unfunded Commitments	9,750
Ownership of each Fund	50.00%
Parent Company | Partners for Growth II, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	15,000
Unfunded Commitments	4,950
Ownership of each Fund	24.20%
Parent Company | Gold Hill Venture Lending 03, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	20,000	[3]
Unfunded Commitments	0	[3]
Ownership of each Fund	9.30%	[3]
Parent Company | Other Fund Investments
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	339,367	[4]
Unfunded Commitments	$ 69,882	[4]

[1] Our ownership includes 1.3 percent direct ownership through SVB Capital Partners II, LLC and SVB Financial, and 3.8 percent indirect ownership through our investment in SVB Strategic Investors Fund II, LP.

[2] Our ownership includes 41.5 percent direct ownership and indirect ownership interest of 12.6 percent and 4.1 percent in the fund through our ownership interest of SVB Capital - NT Growth Partners, LP and SVB Capital Preferred Return Fund, LP, respectively.

[3] Our ownership includes 4.8 percent direct ownership and 4.5 percent indirect ownership interest through GHLLC.

[4] Represents commitments to 332 funds (primarily venture capital funds) where our ownership interest is generally less than 5 percent of the voting interests of each such fund.