15 Best Ways To Make Silver In Black Desert Online

In Black Desert Online, silver isn’t just useful—it’s everything. From enhancing gear to buying materials and upgrading life skills, your silver stack determines how far and how fast you progress. While the game offers a wide range of ways to earn money, not all of them are worth your time. Some silver-making methods are active and require full attention, while others let you earn passively while AFK. Whether you’re a grinder, trader, or life skiller, there’s a strategy that fits your style. In this guide, we’re breaking down the 15 most effective and reliable ways to make silver in BDO, so you can start stacking wealth and progressing toward the endgame without wasting time.

#15: Complete Quests for Steady Income

Questing might not be the flashiest way to make silver in Black Desert Online, but it’s consistent and beginner-friendly. While main story missions guide your early progression, it’s the sea of side quests that can quietly pad your silver stack. Some quests offer direct silver rewards, while others give valuable items or materials that can be sold for profit. Higher-level quests, especially from repeatable chains, tend to pay more—but they also require stronger gear and a bit of time investment. It’s not the fastest method out there, but if you enjoy PvE and world-building, questing offers a low-risk way to earn while you explore.

#14: Make Silver Through NPC Trading

NPC Trading is a more advanced silver-making method in BDO, but once you’ve got it set up, it can become a solid money-maker. The idea is simple: buy or craft trade goods, then deliver them to distant Trade Managers for a profit. The farther the delivery distance, the more silver you earn—so long hauls pay the best. You’ll need a wagon, some decent horses, and a solid understanding of trade routes and product demand. Life skills like Trading, Processing, and Farming can enhance your profits even more. While it takes some time and effort to get rolling, NPC trading can deliver steady silver once your network is up and running.

#13: Earn Passive Silver with AFK Fishing

AFK fishing is one of the easiest and most hands-off ways to earn silver in Black Desert Online. All you need is a decent Balenos Fishing Rod, some inventory space, and a safe fishing spot near water. With a higher fishing skill and gear that boosts fishing time or success rate, you’ll bring in even better results. Just set your character to auto-fish, walk away, and come back later to a full inventory of fish ready to sell. It’s not the fastest silver-making method, but it’s perfect for earning while you sleep, work, or do something else entirely.

#12: Build a Worker Empire for Long-Term Profit

Setting up a Worker Empire isn’t about instant silver—it’s about building a steady, long-term income stream. Workers can gather raw materials, process goods, or produce crafting components while you focus on other activities. It takes time and Contribution Points to connect nodes and hire the right workers, so the earlier you start, the better. While the materials they bring in might not be worth much at first, they’re crucial for crafting, life skills, or turning into crates for more lucrative trades. Think of it as a passive system that slowly snowballs into serious silver over time—if managed well.

#11: Make Silver with Horse Breeding

Horse breeding is a surprisingly profitable life skill in BDO—especially if you’re patient and strategic. Wild horses you catch can be sold, but the real silver comes from breeding high-tier horses. By leveling and pairing compatible horses, you have a chance to produce rare offspring with better stats, skills, and tiers—some of which can’t be obtained any other way. These higher-tier horses are in demand for players looking to race, travel faster, or flex top-tier mounts. It takes time and a bit of luck, but with the right setup, horse breeding can become a fun and rewarding silver stream.

#10: Profit from Marketplace Flipping

Marketplace flipping is a high-risk, high-reward method that requires good timing and a sharp eye for the market. Prices in BDO constantly shift based on player demand, events, and supply drops. Savvy players can take advantage of this by buying popular items in bulk when prices dip, especially during events that flood the market—like boss scroll giveaways or enhancement material promos. Then, once the event ends and supply dries up, you can resell those same items for a profit. It takes patience, silver to invest, and a good understanding of market trends, but done right, flipping can bring in millions.

#9: Earn Passive Silver Through Investments

Even in the chaotic world of Black Desert, smart financial moves pay off—literally. By using Investment Banks, you can convert silver into gold bars and invest them to earn passive interest over time. While it’s not an instant profit method, it’s perfect for players who want to let their wealth grow in the background. It requires a bit of upfront silver and patience, but the returns add up. Think of it as a low-effort, low-risk way to slowly increase your funds while you focus on more active silver-making methods.

#8: Make Silver by Farming for Shards

Farming in BDO is more than just growing crops—it’s a reliable way to earn silver, especially through rare drops like Hard and Sharp Black Crystal Shards. These shards are used for gear enhancement and are always in demand, making them highly valuable. By setting up a farm and planting high-quality crops, you’ll occasionally get these shards when tending, pruning, or harvesting. It’s not an AFK method, but it doesn’t require constant attention either—just regular check-ins. With a little setup and consistency, farming becomes a steady and profitable side hustle.

#7: Make Steady Silver Through Bartering

Bartering is a rewarding mid-to-late game silver method in BDO, especially once you’ve got a proper ship. At minimum, you’ll need a sailboat to get started, and while building one takes time and silver, it’s a worthwhile investment. Bartering involves trading goods between specific ports, with each successful exchange increasing your profit. The bigger and better your ship, the more items you can carry—and the more silver you can make per trip. It’s a bit grindy to set up, but once your routes are optimized, bartering becomes a reliable and profitable silver source for sea-loving adventurers.

#6: Profit from Crafting with Alchemy

Alchemy is a dependable way to make silver in BDO—if you know what to brew. While basic potions are always in demand, the real money comes from crafting high-value items like Alchemy Stones or specialized elixirs. Offensive Alchemy Stones, in particular, can fetch a premium price, especially at higher tiers where market competition is low. It does take time and resources to level up your Alchemy skill and gather ingredients, but once you know what sells and focus on crafting in-demand items, alchemy becomes a consistent and profitable silver-making method. Smart crafting leads to big payouts.

#5: Gather Reagents for Easy Silver

Gathering is one of the simplest and most beginner-friendly ways to earn silver in BDO. The world is filled with herbs, plants, and other valuable materials just waiting to be picked. With the right tools and a bit of energy, you can collect tons of alchemy reagents and rare ingredients used by other players for crafting. You can either sell them directly on the marketplace or use them in your own alchemy recipes for even greater profit. It’s a straightforward, hands-on method that consistently brings in silver with minimal risk.

#4: Turn Ingredients into Silver with Cooking

Cooking is a top-tier life skill for consistent silver generation, and it’s surprisingly low-cost to get started. Many of the ingredients you need can be farmed, gathered, or produced through your worker empire, keeping expenses down. As your cooking level improves, you’ll unlock the ability to craft Imperial Cuisine boxes, which can be turned in to NPCs for large chunks of silver. Even before that, you can make popular food buffs that sell quickly on the Marketplace. Whether you’re feeding the server or the empire, cooking is a flavorful path to steady profits.

#3: Enhance and Sell Gear for Profit

Enhancing gear is one of the riskiest but most rewarding silver-making methods in BDO. When done right, it can turn basic equipment into high-value items that sell for millions on the marketplace. The trick is to enhance spare gear or duplicate items—never gamble with the gear you rely on. Use failstacks wisely and aim to sell once you’ve hit desirable enhancement levels, like TRI or TET. While this method involves a bit of luck and planning, flipping enhanced gear can lead to massive payouts if you play it smart and manage the risk.

#2: Grind Mobs for High-Efficiency Silver

If you’re after raw silver and enjoy active gameplay, mob grinding is one of the most profitable methods in BDO. With the right gear and class, you can farm specific grind spots that drop valuable loot, trash items, and materials worth millions. Set up a rotation, clear mobs efficiently, and stay consistent—some top-tier zones can bring in hundreds of millions of silver per hour. Of course, your silver-per-hour depends on your gear score, buffs, and grind efficiency, but if you’re ready to put in the work, mob grinding is one of the fastest ways to stack silver.

#1: Save Time by Buying Silver Cheaply

If you’re short on time or just want to skip the grind, purchasing silver through a trusted marketplace is by far the fastest and most convenient option. Instead of spending hours farming or crafting, you can get large amounts of silver at an incredibly low price, giving you more time to enjoy the parts of BDO you actually love—whether that’s PvP, lifeskilling, or enhancing gear. Our sellers are vetted to provide safe, reliable deals that offer the best value for your money. It’s a simple investment that can save you countless hours and boost your progression instantly.

Conclusion

Making silver in Black Desert Online comes down to finding the method that fits your playstyle and goals. Whether you prefer active grinding, passive income through lifeskills, or a mix of both, there are plenty of reliable ways to stack up wealth in the game. From farming and fishing to enhancing gear and trading across the seas, every method has its own strengths. And if you’re short on time, buying silver through trusted marketplaces offers a quick head start. No matter how you choose to earn, the key is consistency—stick with what works for you, and the silver will follow.