Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements, Guarantees and Other Commitments - Total Capital Commitments, Unfunded Capital Commitments, and Our Ownership in Each Fund (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	$ 506,163
SVB Strategic Investors Fund, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	2,250
SVB Strategic Investors Fund II, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	5,770
SVB Strategic Investors Fund III, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	17,249
SVB Strategic Investors Fund IV, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	45,277
Strategic Investors Fund V Funds
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	181,221
Strategic Investors Fund VI Funds
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	237,682
SVB Capital Preferred Return Fund, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	7,884
SVB Capital—NT Growth Partners, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	8,587
Other private equity fund
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	243
Parent Company
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	506,110
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	53,560
Parent Company | Silicon Valley BancVentures, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	6,000
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	270
SVBFG Ownership of each Fund (4)	10.70%
Parent Company | SVB Capital Partners II, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	1,200
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	162
SVBFG Ownership of each Fund (4)	5.10%
Parent Company | Capital Partners III, LP [Member]
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	750
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	664
SVBFG Ownership of each Fund (4)	0.40%
Parent Company | SVB Capital Shanghai Yangpu Venture Capital Fund
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	935
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	161
SVBFG Ownership of each Fund (4)	6.80%
Parent Company | SVB Strategic Investors Fund, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	15,300
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	688
SVBFG Ownership of each Fund (4)	12.60%
Parent Company | SVB Strategic Investors Fund II, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	15,000
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	1,050
SVBFG Ownership of each Fund (4)	8.60%
Parent Company | SVB Strategic Investors Fund III, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	15,000
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	1,538
SVBFG Ownership of each Fund (4)	5.90%
Parent Company | SVB Strategic Investors Fund IV, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	12,239
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	2,693
SVBFG Ownership of each Fund (4)	5.00%
Parent Company | Strategic Investors Fund V Funds
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	515
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	265
Parent Company | Strategic Investors Fund VI Funds
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	500
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	442
SVBFG Ownership of each Fund (4)	0.20%
Parent Company | SVB Capital Preferred Return Fund, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	12,688
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	0
SVBFG Ownership of each Fund (4)	20.00%
Parent Company | SVB Capital—NT Growth Partners, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	24,670
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	1,340
SVBFG Ownership of each Fund (4)	33.00%
Parent Company | Other private equity fund
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	9,338
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	0
SVBFG Ownership of each Fund (4)	58.20%
Parent Company | Partners for Growth, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	25,000
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	9,750
SVBFG Ownership of each Fund (4)	50.00%
Parent Company | Debt funds (equity method accounting)
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	65,379
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	4,950
Parent Company | Other fund investments
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
SVBFG Capital Commitments	301,596
SVBFG Unfunded Commitments	$ 29,587