Interim Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Total SVBFG Stockholders’ Equity	Noncontrolling Interests
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014		50,924,925
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 4,051,734	$ 51	$ 1,120,350	$ 1,649,967	$ 42,704	$ 2,813,072	$ 1,238,662
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common stock issued under employee benefit plans, net of restricted stock cancellations (in shares)		536,635
Common stock issued under employee benefit plans, net of restricted stock cancellations	14,712	$ 0	14,712			14,712
Common stock issued under ESOP (in shares)		27,425
Common stock issued under ESOP	3,512		3,512			3,512
Income tax effect from stock options exercised, vesting of restricted stock and other	10,813		10,813			10,813
Deconsolidation of noncontrolling interest	(1,069,437)						(1,069,437)
Net income	284,811			256,392		256,392	28,419
Capital calls and distributions, net	(58,315)						(58,315)
Net change in unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities, net of tax	57,605				57,605	57,605
Amortization of unrealized gains on securities transferred from available-for-sale to held-to-maturity, net of tax	(4,779)				(4,779)	(4,779)
Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of tax	1,534				1,534	1,534
Share-based compensation, net	22,262		22,262			22,262
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2015		51,488,985
Balance at Sep. 30, 2015	3,314,228	$ 51	1,171,649	1,906,135	97,064	3,174,899	139,329
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stockholders' Equity, Other	(224)			(224)		(224)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015		51,610,226
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	3,333,231	$ 52	1,189,032	1,993,646	15,404	3,198,134	135,097
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common stock issued under employee benefit plans, net of restricted stock cancellations (in shares)		408,044
Common stock issued under employee benefit plans, net of restricted stock cancellations	8,661	$ 0	8,661			8,661
Common stock issued under ESOP (in shares)		43,165
Common stock issued under ESOP	4,328		4,328			4,328
Income tax effect from stock options exercised, vesting of restricted stock and other	(6,300)		(6,300)			(6,300)
Net income	286,624			283,219		283,219	3,405
Capital calls and distributions, net	(8,236)						(8,236)
Net change in unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities, net of tax	86,347				86,347	86,347
Amortization of unrealized gains on securities transferred from available-for-sale to held-to-maturity, net of tax	(3,889)				(3,889)	(3,889)
Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of tax	(1,283)				(1,283)	(1,283)
Share-based compensation, net	23,834		23,834			23,834
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2016		52,061,435
Balance at Sep. 30, 2016	$ 3,723,317	$ 52	$ 1,219,555	$ 2,276,865	$ 96,579	$ 3,593,051	$ 130,266