BSL vs VTI
Blackstone Senior Floating Rate 2027 Term Fund vs Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
Which is better, BSL or VTI?
Bank Loan against Large Cap Blend.
VTI led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | BSL | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | - | 0.03% |
| AUM | $176M | $666.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 7.88% | 1.03% |
| Holdings | 354 | 3,543 |
| YTD Return | +1.54% | +12.30%Best |
| 1Y Return | +0.02% | +16.08%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +8.19% | +21.01%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +3.71% | +12.36%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.1%Best | 14.8% |
| Max Drawdown | -57.1% | -35.0%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $11,998 | $17,908Best |
| Fund Family | The Blackstone Group Inc | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | Bank Loan | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | May 26, 2010 | May 24, 2001 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: May 26, 2010 to Sep 18, 2026 (16.3 years).
BSL vs VTI growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
BSL vs VTI Performance
Blackstone Senior Floating Rate 2027 Term Fund (BSL) is an ETF from The Blackstone Group Inc and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year BSL returned +0.02% while VTI returned +16.08%. Year to date, BSL is up 1.54% versus a gain of 12.30% for VTI.
Over three years, BSL compounded at +8.19% per year against +21.01% for VTI; over five years the annualized figures are +3.71% and +12.36% respectively. Across the full 16-year window we track, VTI has the edge at +13.05% annualized vs +0.15%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VTI has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 14.8% compared with 12.1% for BSL. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -57.1% for BSL and -35.0% for VTI. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.57. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 97 holdings in BSL and 3,463 in VTI, totalling 42.6% and 98.1% of the two funds. That is not enough of BSL to divide by, so no overlap percentage is shown here. Within what we can see, 1 positions appear in both.
The two holdings books were reported 212 days apart, BSL as of Dec 31, 2025 and VTI as of Jul 31, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
1 positions in common, counted across the 97 positions we hold weights for in BSL and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 354 and 3,543.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in BSL | Weight in VTI | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| CWKCushman & Wakefield U.S. Borrower, Llc 2023 Term Loan 7.97 01/31/2030 | 0.22% | 0.00% | 0.22% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of BSL and VTI you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which performed better, BSL or VTI?
Over the past year BSL returned +0.02% vs +16.08% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (16 years), BSL annualized +0.15% vs +13.05% for VTI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, BSL or VTI?
VTI has been the more volatile fund at 14.8% annualized versus 12.1% for BSL. Worst drawdown: BSL -57.1% vs VTI -35.0%.
Should I hold both BSL and VTI?
BSL and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.57, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, BSL or VTI?
BSL yields 7.88% while VTI yields 1.03%, so BSL currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VTI better than BSL?
VTI led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.