EWY vs VOO
iShares MSCI South Korea ETF vs Vanguard S&P 500 ETF
Which is better, EWY or VOO?
Large Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.
VOO has a lower expense ratio. EWY led over 1Y, 3Y and 5Y, VOO over the full window. VOO is less concentrated, with 37.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 60.8%.
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 | EWY | VOO |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.59% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | $27.2B | $997.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.12% | 1.04% |
| Holdings | 84 | 509 |
| YTD Return | +77.37%Best | +12.37% |
| 1Y Return | +129.58%Best | +16.61% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +46.04%Best | +21.37% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +19.98%Best | +13.49% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 27.8% | 14.1%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -49.7% | -34.3%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $24,862Best | $18,827 |
| Top 10 Weight | 60.8% | 37.6%Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Value | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | May 9, 2000 | Sep 7, 2010 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 9, 2010 to Sep 18, 2026 (16 years).
EWY vs VOO 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 16 years both funds cover.
EWY vs VOO Performance
iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year EWY returned +129.58% while VOO returned +16.61%. Year to date, EWY is up 77.37% versus a gain of 12.37% for VOO.
Over three years, EWY compounded at +46.04% per year against +21.37% for VOO; over five years the annualized figures are +19.98% and +13.49% respectively. Across the full 16-year window we track, VOO has the edge at +13.39% annualized vs +10.28%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
EWY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 27.8% compared with 14.1% for VOO. 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 -49.7% for EWY and -34.3% for VOO. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.62. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
EWY charges 0.59% per year while VOO charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $59 vs $3 annually, a gap of $56 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, EWY currently yields 1.12% against 1.04% for VOO.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 77 holdings in EWY and 494 in VOO, totalling 98.7% and 99.5% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
0 positions in common, counted across the 77 positions we hold weights for in EWY and 494 in VOO, against full books of 84 and 509.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 487 positions for VOO that do not appear in our book for EWY (99.2% of the fund), and 3 for EWY that do not appear in VOO (22.3%).
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.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of EWY and VOO 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, EWY or VOO?
EWY has an expense ratio of 0.59% while VOO charges 0.03%. VOO is the cheaper option, by $56 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, EWY or VOO?
Over the past year EWY returned +129.58% vs +16.61% for VOO, so EWY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (16 years), EWY annualized +10.28% vs +13.39% for VOO. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, EWY or VOO?
EWY has been the more volatile fund at 27.8% annualized versus 14.1% for VOO. Worst drawdown: EWY -49.7% vs VOO -34.3%.
Should I hold both EWY and VOO?
EWY and VOO have a monthly-return correlation of 0.62, 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, EWY or VOO?
EWY yields 1.12% while VOO yields 1.04%, so EWY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VOO better than EWY?
VOO has a lower expense ratio. EWY led over 1Y, 3Y and 5Y, VOO over the full window. VOO is less concentrated, with 37.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 60.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.