Total Capital Commitments, Unfunded Capital Commitments, and Our Ownership in Each Fund (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	$ 428,139
SVB Strategic Investors Fund, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	2,266
SVB Strategic Investors Fund II, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	7,251
SVB Strategic Investors Fund III, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	22,996
SVB Strategic Investors Fund IV, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	61,526
Strategic Investors Fund V Funds
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	231,033
Strategic Investors Fund VI Funds [Member]
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	76,906
SVB Capital Preferred Return Fund, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	10,309
SVB Capital-NT Growth Partners, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	12,060
Other private equity fund
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Unfunded Commitments	3,792
Parent Company
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	507,002
Unfunded Commitments	70,971
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%	[1]
Parent Company | SVB Capital Partners II, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	1,200	[2]
Unfunded Commitments	162	[2]
Ownership of each Fund	5.10%	[1],[2]
Parent Company | SVB Capital Shanghai Yangpu Venture Capital Fund
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	949
Unfunded Commitments	163
Ownership of each Fund	6.80%	[1]
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%	[1]
Parent Company | SVB Strategic Investors Fund II, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	15,000
Unfunded Commitments	1,050
Ownership of each Fund	8.60%	[1]
Parent Company | SVB Strategic Investors Fund III, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	15,000
Unfunded Commitments	1,688
Ownership of each Fund	5.90%	[1]
Parent Company | SVB Strategic Investors Fund IV, LP
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	12,239
Unfunded Commitments	3,060
Ownership of each Fund	5.00%	[1]
Parent Company | Strategic Investors Fund V Funds
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	515
Unfunded Commitments	330
Parent Company | Strategic Investors Fund VI Funds [Member]
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	500
Unfunded Commitments	483
Ownership of each Fund	0.20%	[1]
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%	[1]
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%	[1]
Parent Company | Other private equity fund
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	9,338	[3]
Unfunded Commitments	0	[3]
Ownership of each Fund	58.20%	[1],[3]
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%	[1]
Parent Company | Debt Funds (Equity Method Accounting) [Member]
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	65,417
Unfunded Commitments	4,950
Parent Company | Other Fund Investments
Venture Capital and Private Equity Fund Investments [Line Items]
Capital Commitments	303,186	[4]
Unfunded Commitments	$ 47,037	[4]

[1] We are subject to the Volcker Rule which restricts or limits us from sponsoring or having ownership interests in “covered” funds including venture capital and private equity funds. See “Business - Supervision and Regulation” under Item 1 of Part I of this report.

[2] Our ownership includes direct ownership of 1.3 percent and indirect ownership of 3.8 percent through our investment in SVB Strategic Investors Fund II, LP.

[3] Our ownership includes direct ownership 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.

[4] Represents commitments to 293 funds (primarily venture capital funds) where our ownership interest is generally less than 5 percent of the voting interests of each such fund.