Continental shelves are dynamic regions at the land-ocean interface that function as both sources and sinks of climate-sensitive trace metals. However, the net fluxes of trace metals, both into and out of these shelf systems, remain poorly constrained. To date, our understanding has been largely limited to a few trace metals, such as iron and manganese, and has focused predominantly on the shelves acting as sources of those trace metals to the open ocean. We will review the current state of knowledge, highlight the challenges in measuring and modeling these fluxes, and focus on our studies on the role of continental shelf as an important sink of several climate-sensitive trace metals. Addressing the role of continental shelf in oceanic trace metal budget is essential for accurately predicting how trace metal cycling—and its associated impacts on marine ecosystems and climate feedbacks—will respond to ongoing environmental change.