VEU vs VTIAX
Vanguard FTSE All World Ex US ETF vs Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Admiral
Which is better, VEU or VTIAX?
Nearly the same fund. VEU costs less.
VEU has a lower expense ratio. VEU led over 5Y and the full window, VTIAX over 1Y and 3Y. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 1.00.
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 | VEU | VTIAX |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.04%Best | 0.09% |
| AUM | $68.4B | $102.0B |
| Dividend Yield | 2.48% | 2.47% |
| Holdings | 3,928 | 8,762 |
| YTD Price Return | +12.59% | +13.91%Best |
| 1Y Price Return | +17.44% | +18.92%Best |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +15.91% | +16.38%Best |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | +5.68%Best | +5.61% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.2%Best | 15.6% |
| Max Drawdown | -31.2%Best | -31.8% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $13,181Best | $13,138 |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Mar 2, 2007 | Nov 29, 2010 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Returns are price returns and exclude distributions, because our data feed carries no adjusted close for VTIAX. Both funds are measured the same way, so the comparison holds. VEU yields 2.48% and VTIAX 2.47% on top.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 15, 2021 to Sep 11, 2026 (5 years).
VEU vs VTIAX 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 5 years both funds cover. Prices exclude distributions, on both funds alike.
VEU vs VTIAX Performance
Vanguard FTSE All World Ex US ETF (VEU) is an ETF from Vanguard (US) and Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Admiral (VTIAX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US). Over the past year VEU returned +17.44% while VTIAX returned +18.92%. Year to date, VEU is up 12.59% versus a gain of 13.91% for VTIAX.
Over three years, VEU compounded at +15.91% per year against +16.38% for VTIAX; over five years the annualized figures are +5.68% and +5.61% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VTIAX has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.6% compared with 15.2% for VEU. 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 -31.2% for VEU and -31.8% for VTIAX. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 1.00. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.
Fees and Cost Over Time
VEU charges 0.04% per year while VTIAX charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $4 vs $9 annually, a gap of $5 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, VEU currently yields 2.48% against 2.47% for VTIAX.
Structure and taxes
VTIAX is a mutual fund and VEU is an ETF. A mutual fund prices once a day at net asset value and may carry a purchase minimum. An ETF trades through the day at whatever the market pays for it.
In a taxable account the difference that usually matters is distributions. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely has to sell holdings and rarely passes a capital gain to the people who held it; a mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can distribute a realised gain at year end to everyone still in the fund, whether or not they sold anything themselves. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. Both are descriptions of how the two wrappers work, not a recommendation.
Tax-loss harvesting works on either wrapper.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 3,645 holdings in VEU and 8,504 in VTIAX, totalling 94.2% and 90.9% of the two funds. Neither is a share of a fund we can divide by, so no overlap percentage is shown here. Within what we can see, 3,189 positions appear in both.
The two holdings books were reported 181 days apart, VEU as of Jul 31, 2026 and VTIAX as of Jan 31, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
3,189 positions in common, counted across the 3,645 positions we hold weights for in VEU and 8,504 in VTIAX, against full books of 3,928 and 8,762.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in VEU | Weight in VTIAX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2330:TWTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd | 0.01% | 3.24% | 3.23% |
| ASML:ASAsml Holding Nv | 1.56% | 1.36% | 0.20% |
| 000660:KRSk Hynix Inc Common Stock KRW 5000 | 1.54% | 0.81% | 0.73% |
| 0700:HKTencent Holdings, Ltd. | 0.93% | 1.15% | 0.22% |
| HSBA:LNHsbc Securities Inc | 0.89% | 0.73% | 0.16% |
| 9988:HKAlibaba Group Holding Ltd | 0.68% | 0.92% | 0.24% |
| NOVN:SMNovartis Ag – Class N | 0.71% | 0.69% | 0.02% |
| RY:CARoyal Bank Of Canada | 0.72% | 0.57% | 0.15% |
| AZN:LNAstraZeneca PLC | 0.62% | 0.67% | 0.05% |
| NESN:SMNestle Sa | 0.63% | 0.58% | 0.05% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of VEU and VTIAX 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, VEU or VTIAX?
VEU has an expense ratio of 0.04% while VTIAX charges 0.09%. VEU is the cheaper option, by $5 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, VEU or VTIAX?
Over the past year VEU returned +17.44% vs +18.92% for VTIAX, so VTIAX leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, VEU or VTIAX?
VTIAX has been the more volatile fund at 15.6% annualized versus 15.2% for VEU. Worst drawdown: VEU -31.2% vs VTIAX -31.8%.
Should I hold both VEU and VTIAX?
VEU and VTIAX have a monthly-return correlation of 1.00, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, VEU or VTIAX?
VEU yields 2.48% while VTIAX yields 2.47%, so VEU currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VTIAX or VEU in a taxable account?
VEU is an ETF and VTIAX is a mutual fund. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely distributes a capital gain to the people holding it. A mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can pass a realised gain to every holder at year end. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. This is information, not a recommendation.
Is VTIAX better than VEU?
VEU has a lower expense ratio. VEU led over 5Y and the full window, VTIAX over 1Y and 3Y. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 1.00. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.