RAYE vs VYM
Rayliant Quantamental Emerging Market ex-China Equity ETF vs Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF
Which is better, RAYE or VYM?
Large Cap Blend against Large Cap Value.
VYM has a lower expense ratio. VYM led over 1Y and the full window. VYM is less concentrated, with 26.1% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%.
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 | RAYE | VYM |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.88% | 0.04%Best |
| AUM | $37M | $81.6B |
| Dividend Yield | 2.93% | 2.22% |
| Holdings | 119 | 613 |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.7% | 14.2%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -26.9% | -15.8%Best |
| $10,000 over 4 years | $12,318 | $14,545Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 37.8% | 26.1%Best |
| Fund Family | The Advisors Inner Circle Fund | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Value |
| Inception | Dec 15, 2021 | Nov 10, 2006 |
Not shown on this pair: YTD Return, 1Y Return, 3Y Return (annualized), 5Y Return (annualized).
The two price series end 277 days apart, so a return over any period would be measuring two different stretches of market. Those rows are withheld. RAYE has data through Dec 19, 2025 and VYM through Sep 22, 2026.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 4 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Dec 16, 2021 to Dec 19, 2025 (4 years).
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
RAYE has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.7% compared with 14.2% for VYM. 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 -26.9% for RAYE and -15.8% for VYM. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.58. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
RAYE charges 0.88% per year while VYM charges 0.04%. On a $10,000 position that is $88 vs $4 annually, a gap of $84 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, RAYE currently yields 2.93% against 2.22% for VYM.
Holdings Overlap
0.7% of RAYE's money is in holdings VYM also owns. 0.1% of VYM's money is in holdings RAYE also owns.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
The two holdings books were reported 336 days apart, RAYE as of Aug 29, 2025 and VYM 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 98 positions we hold weights for in RAYE and 557 in VYM, against full books of 119 and 613.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 527 positions for VYM that do not appear in our book for RAYE (97.0% of the fund), and 3 for RAYE that do not appear in VYM (2.6%).
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 RAYE | Weight in VYM | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAPCredicorp Ltd - Common | 0.66% | 0.11% | 0.55% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of RAYE and VYM 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, RAYE or VYM?
RAYE has an expense ratio of 0.88% while VYM charges 0.04%. VYM is the cheaper option, by $84 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which is riskier, RAYE or VYM?
RAYE has been the more volatile fund at 15.7% annualized versus 14.2% for VYM. Worst drawdown: RAYE -26.9% vs VYM -15.8%.
Should I hold both RAYE and VYM?
RAYE and VYM have a monthly-return correlation of 0.58, 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, RAYE or VYM?
RAYE yields 2.93% while VYM yields 2.22%, so RAYE currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VYM better than RAYE?
VYM has a lower expense ratio. VYM led over 1Y and the full window. VYM is less concentrated, with 26.1% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.