Investment Securities Major Components of Investment Securities Portfolio (Parenthetical) (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 Investment		Dec. 31, 2012 Investment		Dec. 31, 2011 Investment
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Unrealized gains	$ 294,000,000
Fair value accounting | Other venture capital investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	32,839,000	[1]	127,091,000	[1]
Fair value accounting | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	862,972,000	[2]	665,921,000	[2]
Equity method accounting | Other investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	142,883,000	[3]	139,330,000	[3]
Cost method accounting | Other investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	14,191,000		19,721,000
Cost method accounting | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Number of investments	288		324		329
Recognized other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI) losses	1,400,000		1,000,000		1,000,000
Number of impaired investments	43		46		41
Non-marketable securities	148,994,000	[4]	162,000,000	[4]
SVB Capital-NT Growth Partners, LP | Fair value accounting | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	61,126,000		60,120,000
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	33.00%		33.00%
SVB Capital Partners II, LP | Fair value accounting | Other venture capital investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	22,684,000	[5]	79,761,000
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	5.10%	[5]	5.10%
SVB Capital Partners II, LP | Fair value accounting | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	708,000	[6]	1,303,000
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	5.10%	[6]	5.10%
SVB Capital Partners II, LP | Fair value accounting | Direct ownership interest | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	1.30%
SVB Capital Partners II, LP | Fair value accounting | Indirect ownership interest | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	3.80%
Other private equity fund | Fair value accounting | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	3,695,000	[7]	6,462,000
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	58.20%	[7]	58.20%
Other private equity fund | Fair value accounting | Direct ownership interest | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	41.50%
Other private equity fund | Fair value accounting | Indirect ownership interest | SVB Capital-NT Growth Partners, LP | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	12.60%
Other private equity fund | Fair value accounting | Indirect ownership interest | SVB Capital Preferred Return Fund, LP | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	4.10%
Gold Hill Venture Lending 03, LP | Equity method accounting | Other investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	9.30%	[8]	9.30%
Non-marketable securities	7,900,000	[8]	9,413,000
Gold Hill Venture Lending 03, LP | Equity method accounting | Direct ownership interest | Other investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	4.80%
Gold Hill Venture Lending 03, LP | Equity method accounting | Indirect ownership interest | Other investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	4.50%
Gold Hill Capital 2008, LP | Equity method accounting | Other investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	15.50%	[9]	15.50%
Non-marketable securities	21,867,000	[9]	20,893,000
Gold Hill Capital 2008, LP | Equity method accounting | Direct ownership interest | Other investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	11.50%
Gold Hill Capital 2008, LP | Equity method accounting | Indirect ownership interest | Other investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	4.00%
SVB Strategic Investors Fund, LP | Fair value accounting | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	29,104,000		32,850,000
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	12.60%		12.60%
SVB Strategic Investors Fund II, LP | Fair value accounting | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	96,185,000		91,294,000
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	8.60%		8.60%
SVB Strategic Investors Fund III, LP | Fair value accounting | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	260,272,000		209,696,000
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	5.90%		5.90%
SVB Strategic Investors Fund IV, LP | Fair value accounting | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	226,729,000		169,931,000
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	5.00%		5.00%
Strategic Investors Fund V, LP | Fair value accounting | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	118,181,000		40,622,000
SVB Capital Preferred Return Fund, LP | Fair value accounting | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	59,028,000		53,643,000
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	20.00%		20.00%
Silicon Valley BancVentures, LP | Fair value accounting | Other venture capital investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	6,564,000		43,493,000
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	10.70%		10.70%
SVB Capital Shanghai Yangpu Venture Capital Fund | Fair value accounting | Other venture capital investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	3,591,000		3,837,000
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	6.80%		6.80%
China Joint Venture Investment | Equity method accounting | Other investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	50.00%		50.00%
Non-marketable securities	79,940,000		78,545,000
Other investment | Equity method accounting | Other investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	33,176,000		30,479,000
Strategic Investors Fund VI Funds | Fair value accounting | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	7,944,000		0
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	0.20%		0.00%
Upper Limit | Cost method accounting | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Company Direct and Indirect Ownership in Limited Partnership	5.00%		5.00%
Estimated Fair Value | Cost method accounting | Venture capital and private equity fund investments
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Non-marketable securities	$ 215,000,000		$ 193,000,000

[1] The following table shows the amounts of other venture capital investments held by the following consolidated funds and our ownership percentage of each fund at December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 (fair value accounting): December 31, 2013 December 31, 2012(Dollars in thousands) Amount Ownership % Amount Ownership %Silicon Valley BancVentures, LP $6,564 10.7% $43,493 10.7%SVB Capital Partners II, LP (i) 22,684 5.1 79,761 5.1SVB Capital Shanghai Yangpu Venture Capital Fund 3,591 6.8 3,837 6.8Total other venture capital investments $32,839 $127,091 (i)At December 31, 2013, we had a direct ownership interest of 1.3 percent and an indirect ownership interest of 3.8 percent in the fund through our ownership of SVB Strategic Investors Fund II, LP.

[2] The following table shows the amounts of venture capital and private equity fund investments held by the following consolidated funds and our ownership percentage of each fund at December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 (fair value accounting): December 31, 2013 December 31, 2012(Dollars in thousands) Amount Ownership % Amount Ownership %SVB Strategic Investors Fund, LP $29,104 12.6% $32,850 12.6%SVB Strategic Investors Fund II, LP 96,185 8.6 91,294 8.6SVB Strategic Investors Fund III, LP 260,272 5.9 209,696 5.9SVB Strategic Investors Fund IV, LP 226,729 5.0 169,931 5.0Strategic Investors Fund V Funds 118,181 Various 40,622 VariousStrategic Investors Fund VI Funds 7,944 0.2 — —SVB Capital Preferred Return Fund, LP 59,028 20.0 53,643 20.0SVB Capital—NT Growth Partners, LP 61,126 33.0 60,120 33.0SVB Capital Partners II, LP (i) 708 5.1 1,303 5.1Other private equity fund (ii) 3,695 58.2 6,462 58.2Total venture capital and private equity fund investments $862,972 $665,921 (i)At December 31, 2013, we had a direct ownership interest of 1.3 percent and an indirect ownership interest of 3.8 percent in the fund through our ownership interest of SVB Strategic Investors Fund II, LP.(ii)At December 31, 2013, we had a direct ownership interest of 41.5 percent and indirect ownership interests 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] The following table shows the carrying value and our ownership percentage of each investment at December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 (equity method accounting): December 31, 2013 December 31, 2012(Dollars in thousands) Amount Ownership % Amount Ownership %Gold Hill Venture Lending 03, LP (i) $7,900 9.3% $9,413 9.3%Gold Hill Capital 2008, LP (ii) 21,867 15.5 20,893 15.5China Joint Venture investment 79,940 50.0 78,545 50.0Other investments 33,176 Various 30,479 VariousTotal other investments (equity method accounting) $142,883 $139,330 (i)At December 31, 2013, we had a direct ownership interest of 4.8 percent in the fund and an indirect interest in the fund through our investment in Gold Hill Venture Lending Partners 03, LLC (“GHLLC”) of 4.5 percent. (ii)At December 31, 2013, we had a direct ownership interest of 11.5 percent in the fund and an indirect interest in the fund through our investment in Gold Hill Capital 2008, LLC of 4.0 percent.

[4] Represents investments in 288 and 324 funds (primarily venture capital funds) at December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively, where our ownership interest is less than 5% of the voting interests of each such fund and in which we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence over the partnerships operating activities and financial policies. The carrying value, and estimated fair value, of these venture capital and private equity fund investments (cost method accounting) was $149 million, and $215 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2013. The carrying value, and estimated fair value, of the venture capital and private equity fund investments (cost method accounting) was 162 million, and $193 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2012.

[5] At December 31, 2013, we had a direct ownership interest of 1.3 percent and an indirect ownership interest of 3.8 percent in the fund through our ownership of SVB Strategic Investors Fund II, LP.

[6] At December 31, 2013, we had a direct ownership interest of 1.3 percent and an indirect ownership interest of 3.8 percent in the fund through our ownership interest of SVB Strategic Investors Fund II, LP.

[7] At December 31, 2013, we had a direct ownership interest of 41.5 percent and indirect ownership interests 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

[8] At December 31, 2013, we had a direct ownership interest of 4.8 percent in the fund and an indirect interest in the fund through our investment in Gold Hill Venture Lending Partners 03, LLC (“GHLLC”) of 4.5 percent.

[9] At December 31, 2013, we had a direct ownership interest of 11.5 percent in the fund and an indirect interest in the fund through our investment in Gold Hill Capital 2008, LLC of 4.0 percent.