Cash and Cash Equivalents (Additional Information) (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Deposits at the Federal Reserve Bank earning interest at the Federal Funds target rate	$ 236	$ 861
Interest-earning deposits in other financial institutions	460us-gaap_InterestBearingDepositsInBanks	440us-gaap_InterestBearingDepositsInBanks
Fair value of securities purchased under agreements to resell	244	98
Fair value of securities received as collateral that have been resold or repledged	$ 0	$ 0

Interest bearing Deposits in Federal Reserve Banks

No definition available.

Name:	sivb_InterestBearingDepositsInFederalReserveBanks
Namespace Prefix:	sivb_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of collateral permitted, by contact or custom, to be sold or re-pledged.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 860

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1A

-Subparagraph (c)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34720971&loc=SL6224234-111729

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueOfSecuritiesReceivedAsCollateralThatCanBeResoldOrRepledged
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of the collateral, or portion thereof, that has been re-pledged, delivered, or otherwise used.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 860

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1A

-Subparagraph (c)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34720971&loc=SL6224234-111729

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueOfSecuritiesReceivedAsCollateralThatHaveBeenResoldOrRepledged
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

For banks and other depository institutions (including Federal Reserve Banks, if applicable): Interest-bearing deposits in other financial institutions for relatively short periods of time including, for example, certificates of deposits, which are presented separately from cash on the balance sheet.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section 45

-Paragraph 4

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6476743&loc=d3e59706-112781

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 2

-Article 9

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestBearingDepositsInBanks
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant