BTO vs VTI
John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund vs Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
Which is better, BTO or VTI?
Mid Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.
VTI has a lower expense ratio. BTO led over 3Y, VTI over 1Y, 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 | BTO | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 2.96% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | $709M | $666.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 6.18% | 1.03% |
| Holdings | 184 | 3,543 |
| YTD Return | +14.40%Best | +12.08% |
| 1Y Return | +14.21% | +16.31%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +22.80%Best | +20.83% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +7.46% | +11.89%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 31.1% | 15.1%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -95.5% | -56.6%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $14,330 | $17,537Best |
| Fund Family | John Hancock Investment Management | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Mid Cap Value | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Aug 18, 1994 | May 24, 2001 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Dec 16, 2003 to Sep 14, 2026 (22.7 years).
BTO 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 covers the 22.7 years both funds cover.
BTO vs VTI Performance
John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund (BTO) is an ETF from John Hancock Investment Management and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year BTO returned +14.21% while VTI returned +16.31%. Year to date, BTO is up 14.40% versus a gain of 12.08% for VTI.
Over three years, BTO compounded at +22.80% per year against +20.83% for VTI; over five years the annualized figures are +7.46% and +11.89% respectively. Across the full 23-year window we track, VTI has the edge at +9.46% annualized vs -4.23%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
BTO has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 31.1% compared with 15.1% for VTI. 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 -95.5% for BTO and -56.6% 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 0.60. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BTO charges 2.96% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $296 vs $3 annually, a gap of $293 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BTO currently yields 6.18% against 1.03% for VTI.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.8% of VTI's money is in holdings BTO also owns.
Only one direction is shown: for BTO, our book for it lists positions totalling 110.9% of the fund, which is what a leveraged book looks like and is not a denominator we can divide by.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
The two holdings books were reported 212 days apart, BTO 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.
109 positions in common, counted across the 134 positions we hold weights for in BTO and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 184 and 3,543.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in BTO | Weight in VTI | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| RFRegions Financial Corp. | 2.53% | 0.04% | 2.49% |
| ONBOld National Bancorp/In Common Stock | 2.21% | 0.01% | 2.20% |
| CFGCitizens Financial Group Inc. | 1.87% | 0.04% | 1.83% |
| USBUS Bancorp | 1.68% | 0.14% | 1.54% |
| INDBIndependent Bank | 1.77% | 0.01% | 1.76% |
| CCBCoastal Financial Corp/Wa Common Stock | 1.74% | 0.00% | 1.74% |
| BPOPPopular Inc | 1.72% | 0.01% | 1.71% |
| MTBM&T Bank Corp | 1.64% | 0.05% | 1.59% |
| HBANHuntington Bancshares Inc./Oh | 1.59% | 0.05% | 1.54% |
| HWCHancock Whitney Corp Common Stock Usd3.33 | 1.63% | 0.01% | 1.62% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of BTO 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 is cheaper, BTO or VTI?
BTO has an expense ratio of 2.96% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $293 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, BTO or VTI?
Over the past year BTO returned +14.21% vs +16.31% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (23 years), BTO annualized -4.23% vs +9.46% for VTI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, BTO or VTI?
BTO has been the more volatile fund at 31.1% annualized versus 15.1% for VTI. Worst drawdown: BTO -95.5% vs VTI -56.6%.
Should I hold both BTO and VTI?
BTO and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.60, 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, BTO or VTI?
BTO yields 6.18% while VTI yields 1.03%, so BTO currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VTI better than BTO?
VTI has a lower expense ratio. BTO led over 3Y, VTI over 1Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.