Loans, Allowance for Loan Losses and Allowance for Unfunded Credit Commitments - Composition of Loans, Net of Unearned Income (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unearned income on loans	$ 127,000	$ 125,000
Loans, net of unearned income	20,976,466	19,899,944
Premium wine
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans Receivable, Gross, Commercial, Construction	107,000	110,000
Commercial Portfolio Segment
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	17,754,813	16,945,288
Commercial Portfolio Segment \| Software/internet
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	5,392,022	5,627,031
Commercial Portfolio Segment \| Hardware
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	1,118,266	1,180,398
Commercial Portfolio Segment \| Private equity/venture capital
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	8,891,662	7,691,148
Commercial Portfolio Segment \| Life science/healthcare
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	1,698,617	1,853,004
Commercial Portfolio Segment \| Premium wine
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	904,969	878,322
Commercial Portfolio Segment \| Premium wine \| Non-real estate secured commercial loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	210,909	200,156
Commercial Portfolio Segment \| Other
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	443,337	393,551
Commercial Portfolio Segment \| Other
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	566,770	501,709
Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	2,864,854	2,648,621
Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment \| Premium wine
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	694,060	678,166
Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment \| Real estate secured loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	2,127,901	1,926,968
Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment \| Other real estate loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	42,893	43,487
Construction Loans [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	80,540	64,671
Consumer Portfolio Segment
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	2,404,160	2,168,332
Consumer Portfolio Segment \| Real estate secured loans
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	2,127,901	1,926,968
Consumer Portfolio Segment \| Other
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	$ 276,259	$ 241,364

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of deferred interest and fee income, unamortized costs incurred to originate loans and leases, unamortized loan commitments and loan syndication fees, and premiums over or discounts from face amounts of acquired loans. Excludes amounts for loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84159169&loc=d3e10152-111534

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=d3e5074-111524

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 210.9-03.7)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)(4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84165051&loc=d3e45377-112738

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount before allowance and after deduction of deferred interest and fees, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts, of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82891408&loc=d3e4428-111522

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=d3e5074-111524

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount before allowance of commercial construction loans. Includes deferred interest and fees, undisbursed portion of loan balance, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts. Excludes loans covered under loss sharing agreements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=d3e5066-111524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7(a)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=sivb_PremiumWineFinancingReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_CommercialPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=sivb_SoftwareFinancingReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=sivb_HardwareFinancingReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=sivb_PrivateEquityAndVentureCapitalFinancingReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=sivb_LifeScienceFinancingReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=sivb_NonRealEstateSecuredCommercialLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=sivb_CommercialOtherFinancingReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=sivb_OtherFinancingReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_CommercialRealEstatePortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=sivb_RealEstateSecuredConsumerLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=sivb_OtherRealEstateCommercialLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_ConstructionLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_ConsumerPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: