Total Capital Commitments, Unfunded Capital Commitments, and Our Ownership in Each Fund (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	$ 309,765
Other private equity fund
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	4,659
SVB Capital-NT Growth Partners, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	26,373
SVB Capital Preferred Return Fund, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	23,234
SVB Strategic Investors Fund, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	2,311
SVB Strategic Investors Fund II, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	12,145
SVB Strategic Investors Fund III, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	60,040
SVB Strategic Investors Fund IV, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	137,375
SVB Strategic Investors Fund V, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	43,628
Parent Company
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	513,222
Unfunded Commitments	116,961
Parent Company | SVB Capital Partners II, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	1,200	[1]
Unfunded Commitments	222	[1]
Ownership of each Fund	5.10%	[1]
Parent Company | Other private equity fund
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	9,338	[2]
Ownership of each Fund	58.20%	[2]
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 | SVB Capital Preferred Return Fund, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	12,687
Ownership of each Fund	20.00%
Parent Company | Gold Hill Venture Lending 03, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	20,000	[3]
Ownership of each Fund	9.30%	[3]
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 India Capital Partners I, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	7,750
Unfunded Commitments	1,364
Ownership of each Fund	14.40%
Parent Company | SVB Capital Shanghai Yangpu Venture Capital Fund
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	920
Unfunded Commitments	159
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	1,950
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	3,000
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	5,997
Ownership of each Fund	5.00%
Parent Company | SVB Strategic Investors Fund V, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	500
Unfunded Commitments	460
Ownership of each Fund	0.30%
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 | Other Fund Investments
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	332,618	[4]
Unfunded Commitments	$ 86,811	[4]

[1] Our ownership includes 1.3 percent direct ownership through SVB Capital Partners II, LLC and SVB Financial Group, 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 interests 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 334 funds (primarily venture capital funds) where our ownership interest is generally less than 5% of the voting interests of each such fund.