CEFZ vs VTI
RiverNorth Active Income ETF vs Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF
Which is better, CEFZ or VTI?
Allocation/Balanced against Large Cap Blend.
VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y and the full window. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 50.4%.
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 | CEFZ | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 2.82% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | $42M | $666.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 10.75% | 1.03% |
| Holdings | 51 | 3,543 |
| YTD Return | -2.21% | +13.14%Best |
| 1Y Return | -1.22% | +16.63%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +22.30% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.01% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 9.2%Best | 12.6% |
| Max Drawdown | -8.3%Best | -8.9% |
| $10,000 over 1.1 years | $10,447 | $12,241Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 50.4% | 33.3%Best |
| Fund Family | RiverNorth | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Allocation/Balanced | Equity |
| Style | Allocation/Balanced | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Dec 27, 2006 | May 24, 2001 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Aug 4, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026 (1.1 years).
CEFZ 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 1.1 years both funds cover.
CEFZ vs VTI Performance
RiverNorth Active Income ETF (CEFZ) is an ETF from RiverNorth and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year CEFZ returned -1.22% while VTI returned +16.63%. Year to date, CEFZ is down 2.21% versus a gain of 13.14% for VTI.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VTI has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 12.6% compared with 9.2% for CEFZ. 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 -8.3% for CEFZ and -8.9% 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 0.83. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
CEFZ charges 2.82% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $282 vs $3 annually, a gap of $279 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, CEFZ currently yields 10.75% against 1.03% for VTI.
Holdings Overlap
0.9% of CEFZ's money is in holdings VTI also owns.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
1 positions in common, counted across the 45 positions we hold weights for in CEFZ and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 51 and 3,543.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 1,150 positions for VTI that do not appear in our book for CEFZ (97.5% of the fund), and 42 for CEFZ that do not appear in VTI (94.7%).
Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in CEFZ | Weight in VTI | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| HHHHoward Hughes Corp. | 0.95% | 0.00% | 0.95% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of CEFZ 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, CEFZ or VTI?
CEFZ has an expense ratio of 2.82% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $279 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, CEFZ or VTI?
Over the past year CEFZ returned -1.22% vs +16.63% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), CEFZ annualized +4.06% vs +20.18% for VTI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, CEFZ or VTI?
VTI has been the more volatile fund at 12.6% annualized versus 9.2% for CEFZ. Worst drawdown: CEFZ -8.3% vs VTI -8.9%.
Should I hold both CEFZ and VTI?
CEFZ and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.83, 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, CEFZ or VTI?
CEFZ yields 10.75% while VTI yields 1.03%, so CEFZ currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VTI better than CEFZ?
VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y and the full window. VTI is less concentrated, with 33.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 50.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.