# How Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives

> Source: EasyCompare research, https://easycompare.io/research/vxus
> Data as of October 20, 2026. Total returns include reinvested dividends. Past performance does not predict future results; nothing here is investment advice.

Built by QuantCommons' quantitative engine, this page is about relative opportunity, not data on VXUS alone. It places VXUS (Vanguard Total International Stock ETF) against 20+ popular alternatives, its neighboring categories and the entire market of over 10,000 U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs, and surfaces what has done better on consistent outperformance, return for the risk taken, behavior in real market crashes and diversification. The result is a clearer view of where VXUS stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.

Period covered: VXUS's full trading record, from January 2011 through September 2026. The crash tests reach back to 2000 using older funds and the S&P 500. All returns include reinvested dividends. Data as of October 20, 2026.

## Key findings

- **Right now:** VXUS has trailed the market, rising 0.9% over the past 6 months against 9.1% for the S&P 500 and 11.2% for the Nasdaq 100.
- **Fund or market?:** VXUS rose 1.0% over the past 3 months, 2.9 points behind the S&P 500, which rose 3.9%.
- **Long term:** VXUS turned $10,000 into $24,000 over the past decade, against $42,100 in the S&P 500.
- **In a crash:** Across five sell-offs, VXUS has typically fallen 1.2 times as far as the S&P 500. On the flip side, in the 2022 bear market, VXUS held up better than IEMG (iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF) and EEM; only FNDF (Schwab Fundamental International Large Company Index ETF) and DFAI fell less.
- **Diversification:** Against the S&P 500, VXUS has a correlation of 0.80 over 5 years, more closely than 63% of ETFs with at least $100 million in assets. Next to an index fund it is some diversification, but not a hedge. VXUS fell in 18 of the 22 months the S&P 500 fell over the past 5 years: it usually fell with it.
- **Better options**
  - **Popular alternatives:** VTI (Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF) and FNDF (Schwab Fundamental International Large Company Index ETF) earned more than VXUS over the past 5 years with similar volatility: VTI returned 11.5% a year at 17.5% volatility, against 8.2% a year at 16.4%.
  - **Same exposure, lower fee:** A cheaper fund that has kept up over the past decade is VEA (Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF, 0.03% a year against 0.05%).
  - **Nearby categories and themes:** LVHI (Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF, international equity) and DBEF (Xtrackers MSCI EAFE Hedged Equity ETF, international equity) earned more than VXUS with less volatility over the past 5 years. LVHI returned 17.0% a year at 11.1% volatility, against 8.2% a year at 16.4%.

## How much would $10,000 in VXUS have grown?

This chart tracks a hypothetical $10,000 investment in VXUS over the past 15 years, with dividends reinvested, alongside the same amount in the S&P 500, investments that ended ahead of VXUS over the same span and VXUS's popular alternatives, among those that traded for the entire period.

- $10,000 invested in VXUS at the end of September 2011 would have grown to $33,448 by September 2026, less than the $87,526 it would have become in SPY, an S&P 500 fund.
- Six of the eight other investments on the chart ended ahead of VXUS, and VTI finished highest, at $83,876.

## VXUS at a glance

This section summarizes the key facts about the fund, its returns over periods from one to ten years and the risk it has carried, with dividends reinvested throughout.

- VXUS's deepest decline since it began trading in 2011 was 36.0%, from January 2018 to March 2020. It took eight months from the low to climb back to its old high.
- Over 14 full calendar years, VXUS's best was 2025, when it returned 32.3%, and its worst was 2022, when it lost 16.1%. It lost money in four of those years.
- VXUS is 5.1% below its all-time high.

- Type: ETF, International (Asset Management - Global)
- Trading since: January 28, 2011
- Assets: $666B
- Expense ratio: 0.05%
- Volatility (5 years): 16.4%; Sharpe ratio: 0.57
- Worst decline ever: −36.0%, from January 26, 2018 to March 23, 2020; back at its high by November 16, 2020

| Period | VXUS total return |
| --- | --- |
| 1 month | −3.9% |
| 3 months | +1.0% |
| 6 months | +0.9% |
| year to date | +10.2% |
| 1 year | +14.6% |
| 3 years | +77.2% |
| 5 years | +48.6% |
| 10 years | +140% |

## VXUS against the whole market

Where VXUS ranks among every stock and fund, and what across the market has done better.

### How does VXUS rank among all ETFs?

This section ranks VXUS on return, volatility, risk-adjusted return and worst decline against every ETF worth at least $100 million with enough history.

- VXUS lands in the broad middle of the market on every measure here. VXUS's 3-year return ranks in the top 32% of the 1,949 ETFs with at least $100 million in assets with 3 years of history.

| Measure | VXUS | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-year return | +14.6% | 868 of 2,485 (top 35%) |
| 3-year return | +77.2% | 630 of 1,949 (top 33%) |
| 5-year return | +48.6% | 701 of 1,560 (top 45%) |
| 10-year return | +140% | 518 of 958 (top 55%) |
| Volatility, 5 years | 16.4% | 742 of 1,560 (top 48%) |
| Sharpe ratio, 5 years | 0.57 | 783 of 1,560 (top 51%) |
| Worst decline, past 10 years | −36.0% | 391 of 951 (top 42%) |

### What has beaten VXUS on both return and risk?

Each dot is an investment, placed by how much it earned a year over the past 5 years (higher is better) and how much its price swung, its volatility (further left is calmer).

- 101 ETFs worth at least $500 million sit in the green region: each earned more than VXUS over the past 5 years with smaller price swings. That is 3% of the 3,633 screened.
- Among those with at least half VXUS's swings, LVHI has the best return for its risk: 17.0% a year at 11.1% volatility, 32% less than VXUS's 16.4%, and a Sharpe ratio (return above cash per unit of volatility) of 1.48 against 0.57 for VXUS.
- None of VXUS's popular alternatives made it, but LVHI (international equity) did: 17.0% a year at 11.1% volatility, 32% less than VXUS's 16.4%.

### Is there a better investment than VXUS?

The table below lists investments that beat VXUS over the past 5 years on at least one of these measures: a higher annual return with lower volatility, a higher annual return at similar volatility, a similar return with lower volatility, a higher Sharpe ratio with a smaller worst decline, a higher total return in most periods from 3 months to 10 years, or smaller losses in recent market crashes, and, for funds, the same exposure at a lower expense ratio.

- Among VXUS's popular alternatives, VTI and FNDF earned more than VXUS over the past 5 years with similar volatility: VTI returned 11.5% a year at 17.5% volatility, against 8.2% a year at 16.4%.
- A cheaper fund that has kept up over the past decade is VEA (0.03% a year against 0.05%).
- Looking beyond its popular alternatives, LVHI (international equity) and DBEF (international equity) earned more than VXUS with less volatility over the past 5 years. LVHI returned 17.0% a year at 11.1% volatility, against 8.2% a year at 16.4%.

The 15 strongest of 101 investments that beat VXUS over the past 5 years, out of 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million.

| Investment | Group | Annual return (5 years) | Volatility | Sharpe | Worst decline (10 years) | 10Y return | Correlation with VXUS | Better on |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| VXUS: Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (this page) |  | +8.2% | 16.4% | 0.57 | −36.0% | +140% |  |  |
| FTLS: First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF | Broad Market | +10.2% | 10.4% | 0.99 | −20.6% | +158% | 0.71 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| PTLC: Pacer Trendpilot US Large Cap ETF | Broad Market | +9.5% | 11.8% | 0.83 | −26.6% | +188% | 0.54 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| PTNQ: Pacer Trendpilot 100 ETF | Technology | +9.7% | 14.1% | 0.73 | −28.1% | +305% | 0.55 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| DIVI: Franklin International Core Dividend Tilt Index ETF | International | +13.4% | 15.5% | 0.89 | −27.7% | +184% | 0.95 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| QDPL: Pacer Metaurus US Large Cap Dividend Multiplier 400 ETF | Dividend & Income | +11.8% | 15.0% | 0.82 | −22.6% | — | 0.79 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| SIXA: ETC 6 Meridian Mega Cap Equity ETF | Broad Market | +12.8% | 12.7% | 1.01 | −18.4% | — | 0.81 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [VTV](https://easycompare.io/research/vtv): Vanguard Morningstar Value ETF | US Large-Cap Value | +12.1% | 13.7% | 0.90 | −36.8% | +235% | 0.81 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods |
| LVHI: Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | International Equity | +17.0% | 11.1% | 1.48 | −32.4% | +194% | 0.76 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods |
| [VIG](https://easycompare.io/research/vig): Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | US Dividend Equity | +10.4% | 14.1% | 0.78 | −31.7% | +258% | 0.82 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods |
| [SCHD](https://easycompare.io/research/schd): Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF | US Dividend Equity | +9.7% | 14.3% | 0.72 | −33.4% | +252% | 0.72 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods |
| PVAL: Putnam Focused Large Cap Value ETF | US Large-Cap Value | +16.1% | 15.1% | 1.07 | −41.3% | — | 0.79 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods |
| HDV: iShares Core High Dividend ETF | US Dividend Equity | +12.9% | 13.0% | 1.00 | −37.0% | +172% | 0.66 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods |
| RWL: Invesco S&P 500 Revenue ETF | US Large-Cap Equity | +13.7% | 14.4% | 0.97 | −36.1% | +287% | 0.81 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods |
| PJUL: Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF | Broad Market | +10.5% | 8.6% | 1.20 | −18.2% | — | 0.77 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| FJAN: FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - January | Multi-Asset | +11.1% | 10.5% | 1.05 | −13.6% | — | 0.78 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |

## VXUS against its popular alternatives

The investments people most often weigh against VXUS, compared period by period and year by year.

### How do VXUS's risk and return compare with its alternatives?

This map plots each investment's annual return over the past 5 years against its volatility, the size of its typical price swings.

- Six of the 20 popular alternatives, led by FNDF, VT and AVDE, were both more rewarding and calmer than VXUS over the past 5 years, earning a higher annual return with lower volatility.
- Over the past 5 years, VXUS returned 8.2% a year, less than the S&P 500's 12.7%, with lower volatility (16.4% against 17.1%).

### Has VXUS consistently beaten its popular alternatives?

This section compares VXUS with the investments people most often weigh against it, checking each one over eight periods from one month to ten years.

- Eight of the 23 popular alternatives, led by VTI, FNDF and VT, outperformed VXUS in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes.
- VTI, FNDF and VT outperformed VXUS in every long-term period and in all but one short-term period, the most consistent record in the group.
- VTI, VT and DFAX earned more for the risk they took than VXUS (a higher Sharpe ratio) and fell less in their worst decline of the past 10 years.

| Investment | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return | 10Y return | Periods ahead of VXUS | Verdict | Sharpe |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| VXUS: Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (this page) | +14.6% | +77.2% | +48.6% | +140% |  |  | 0.57 |
| [VTI](https://easycompare.io/research/vti): Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF | +15.2% | +87.9% | +72.6% | +302% | 5/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.71 |
| FNDF: Schwab Fundamental International Large Company Index ETF | +27.2% | +95.8% | +89.2% | +194% | 5/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.87 |
| [VT](https://easycompare.io/research/vt): Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | +15.0% | +83.8% | +63.3% | +223% | 4/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.69 |
| [SCHF](https://easycompare.io/research/schf): Schwab International Equity ETF | +17.3% | +80.9% | +57.7% | +155% | 3/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | consistent | 0.63 |
| [SPDW](https://easycompare.io/research/spdw): State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF | +17.0% | +81.6% | +54.9% | +153% | 3/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | consistent | 0.61 |
| AVDE: Avantis International Equity ETF | +16.4% | +83.7% | +61.8% | — | 3/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term | consistent | 0.67 |
| AVEM: Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF | +19.7% | +91.0% | +56.1% | — | 3/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term | consistent | 0.56 |
| DFAX: Dimensional World ex U.S. Core Equity 2 ETF | +17.9% | +82.8% | +59.3% | — | 3/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term | consistent | 0.66 |
| [VEA](https://easycompare.io/research/vea): Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF | +17.0% | +81.0% | +55.9% | +153% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.61 |
| DFAI: Dimensional - International Core Equity Market ETF | +15.8% | +78.5% | +59.0% | — | 4/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.66 |
| DFIC: Dimensional - International Core Equity 2 ETF | +17.1% | +82.4% | — | — | 4/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | — |
| IDEV: iShares Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF | +13.8% | +75.7% | +51.5% | — | 3/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.59 |
| [IEMG](https://easycompare.io/research/iemg): iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | +17.0% | +83.4% | +39.0% | +122% | 2/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.44 |
| EEM: iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | +17.6% | +84.9% | +35.7% | +110% | 2/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.41 |
| [EFA](https://easycompare.io/research/efa): iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | +12.5% | +71.2% | +51.0% | +139% | 1/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.58 |
| [VEU](https://easycompare.io/research/veu): Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US ETF | +15.1% | +78.3% | +50.7% | +143% | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.58 |
| [IEFA](https://easycompare.io/research/iefa): iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | +12.8% | +72.4% | +49.0% | +140% | 1/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.56 |
| ACWX: iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF | +15.0% | +78.1% | +49.0% | +136% | 1/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.56 |
| VSS: Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap ETF | +10.0% | +65.4% | +27.5% | +105% | 1/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.38 |
| [BNDX](https://easycompare.io/research/bndx): Vanguard Total International Bond ETF | −1.4% | +13.4% | +0.8% | +15.0% | 1/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.06 |
| [IXUS](https://easycompare.io/research/ixus): iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF | +14.8% | +78.3% | +48.4% | +140% | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.56 |
| SPEM: State Street SPDR Portfolio Emerging Markets ETF | +9.9% | +70.4% | +33.1% | +114% | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.42 |
| [VWO](https://easycompare.io/research/vwo): Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF | +8.3% | +67.2% | +29.1% | +102% | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.38 |

### How did VXUS do year by year?

This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 2012, along with where VXUS ranked among its popular alternatives each year.

- Among its popular alternatives, DFAI came out ahead of VXUS most often, in four of the five years both traded.
- VXUS finished ahead of the S&P 500 in four of its 14 full calendar years.
- Ranked against its popular alternatives each year, VXUS finished in the top quarter in no of 14 years and in the bottom quarter in no. In 2025, it ranked 14 of 22.

| Year | VXUS | SPY |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2025 | +32.3% | +17.7% |
| 2024 | +5.1% | +24.9% |
| 2023 | +15.9% | +26.2% |
| 2022 | −16.1% | −18.2% |
| 2021 | +9.0% | +28.7% |
| 2020 | +10.7% | +18.3% |
| 2019 | +21.7% | +31.2% |
| 2018 | −14.4% | −4.6% |
| 2017 | +27.5% | +21.7% |
| 2016 | +4.8% | +12.0% |

## Risk and diversification

How VXUS has fallen, how it held up in crashes beside the S&P 500 and its popular alternatives, and what moves independently of it.

### What were VXUS's worst declines?

A drawdown is the decline from a peak to the lowest point before a new high.

- In all five of VXUS's worst declines, the S&P 500 held up better over the same dates.
- Not every decline was the market's doing: VXUS fell 24.9% from July 2014 to February 2016, while the S&P 500 slipped only 4.9%.
- The longest climb back to a previous high took 19 months, after VXUS fell 29.4% from September 2021 to October 2022.

| Decline | Peak | Low | Back at the high | SPY over the same dates | Market event |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| −36.0% | January 26, 2018 | March 23, 2020 | November 16, 2020 | −18.8% | late-2018 sell-off |
| −29.4% | September 3, 2021 | October 12, 2022 | May 14, 2024 | −19.9% | 2022 bear market |
| −27.0% | April 29, 2011 | October 3, 2011 | May 8, 2013 | −18.6% | 2011 euro debt crisis |
| −24.9% | July 3, 2014 | February 11, 2016 | May 2, 2017 | −4.9% | 2015 China and oil sell-off |
| −13.6% | March 19, 2025 | April 8, 2025 | May 2, 2025 | −12.2% |  |

### How did VXUS do in stock market crashes?

This section measures how far VXUS, the S&P 500 and each alternative fell from peak to trough during every major market crash since 2000.

- Among its popular alternatives, BNDX held up best, falling less than VXUS in all six crashes they both traded through.
- VXUS began trading after the 2008 financial crisis, but seven of its popular alternatives lived through it. The mildest fall among them was VTI's 55.5%, against 55.2% for the S&P 500.
- VXUS fell further than the S&P 500 in three of the seven crashes it has traded through. The clearest case was the 2015 China and oil sell-off, when VXUS fell 20.2% and the S&P 500 fell 12.8%.

| Crash | Dates | VXUS fall | SPY fall |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Dot-com bust | March 10, 2000 to October 9, 2002 | not trading | −47.5% |
| Global financial crisis | October 9, 2007 to March 9, 2009 | not trading | −55.2% |
| Flash crash | May 6, 2010 to May 7, 2010 | not trading | −1.5% |
| Euro debt crisis | July 22, 2011 to October 3, 2011 | −24.2% | −17.9% |
| China devaluation & oil rout | August 10, 2015 to February 11, 2016 | −20.2% | −12.8% |
| Volmageddon | February 2, 2018 to February 9, 2018 | −6.1% | −6.5% |
| Q4 2018 selloff | September 21, 2018 to December 24, 2018 | −15.1% | −19.3% |
| COVID crash | February 19, 2020 to March 23, 2020 | −33.4% | −33.7% |
| 2022 bear market | January 4, 2022 to October 12, 2022 | −28.4% | −24.5% |
| SVB / regional bank stress | March 8, 2023 to March 13, 2023 | −2.5% | −3.4% |

### How closely does VXUS move with the S&P 500?

Upside capture measures how much of the S&P 500's gains an investment kept in the months the market rose, and downside capture how much of its losses it took in the months the market fell.

- VWO took just 75% of the S&P 500's losses, against 91% for VXUS, while still keeping 63% of its gains.
- Over the past 10 years, VXUS captured 76% of the S&P 500's gains in rising months and 91% of its losses in falling months, with a beta of 0.82. Its share of the market's losses was larger than its share of the gains.
- Seven of the 15 popular alternatives had a higher capture ratio (upside capture divided by downside capture) than VXUS's 0.84, led by VTI, FNDF and VT.

Measured over the past 10 years of monthly returns against SPY.

| Investment | Upside capture | Downside capture | Beta |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| VXUS: Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (this page) | 76.0% | 91.0% | 0.82 |
| [VTI](https://easycompare.io/research/vti): Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF | 100% | 103% | 1.02 |
| FNDF: Schwab Fundamental International Large Company Index ETF | 81.0% | 87.0% | 0.80 |
| [VT](https://easycompare.io/research/vt): Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | 90.0% | 98.0% | 0.94 |
| [SCHF](https://easycompare.io/research/schf): Schwab International Equity ETF | 79.0% | 93.0% | 0.84 |
| [SPDW](https://easycompare.io/research/spdw): State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF | 80.0% | 95.0% | 0.86 |
| [IEMG](https://easycompare.io/research/iemg): iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | 71.0% | 83.0% | 0.77 |
| EEM: iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | 70.0% | 84.0% | 0.77 |
| [EFA](https://easycompare.io/research/efa): iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | 76.0% | 92.0% | 0.81 |
| [VEU](https://easycompare.io/research/veu): Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US ETF | 76.0% | 89.0% | 0.80 |
| [IEFA](https://easycompare.io/research/iefa): iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | 77.0% | 94.0% | 0.82 |
| ACWX: iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF | 75.0% | 90.0% | 0.80 |
| VSS: Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap ETF | 80.0% | 107% | 0.94 |
| [BNDX](https://easycompare.io/research/bndx): Vanguard Total International Bond ETF | 11.0% | 13.0% | 0.14 |
| SPEM: State Street SPDR Portfolio Emerging Markets ETF | 65.0% | 76.0% | 0.69 |
| [VWO](https://easycompare.io/research/vwo): Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF | 63.0% | 75.0% | 0.69 |

### What diversifies VXUS?

Correlation measures how closely two investments move together, on a scale from 1 (in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to -1 (in opposite directions).

- Moving a fifth of the money in VXUS into DBMF would have cut the portfolio's volatility by 23% over the past 5 years and raised its annual return (+9.4% for VXUS alone, +10.0% for the mix).
- MPC made money in three of the four calendar years in which VXUS lost money.
- Among large ETFs, MLPX, GLD and XLE have moved largely independently of VXUS over the past 5 years, with correlations of 0.48 or lower, and each still earned a positive 5-year return.

| Investment | Correlation with VXUS | 5Y return | Volatility | Sharpe | Rose in VXUS's 4 down years |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| MLPX: Global X - MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF | 0.48 | +135% | 19.7% | 0.97 | 2 of 4 |
| [GLD](https://easycompare.io/research/gld): SPDR Gold Shares | 0.48 | +126% | 18.9% | 0.96 | 0 of 4 |
| [XLE](https://easycompare.io/research/xle): State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.28 | +177% | 25.5% | 0.93 | 1 of 4 |
| AMLP: Alerian MLP ETF | 0.34 | +111% | 18.9% | 0.89 | 2 of 4 |
| DBMF: iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF | -0.30 | +59.7% | 12.4% | 0.82 | 1 of 4 |
| DBA: Invesco DB Agriculture Fund | 0.20 | +66.4% | 13.8% | 0.81 | 2 of 4 |
| USO: United States Oil Fund, LP | -0.08 | +176% | 37.7% | 0.73 | 1 of 4 |
| FLSP: Franklin Systematic Style Premia ETF | 0.00 | +49.8% | 13.4% | 0.68 | 1 of 4 |

## Common questions

### What was VXUS's worst drawdown?

VXUS's deepest decline since it began trading in 2011 was 36.0%, from January 2018 to March 2020. It took eight months from the low to climb back to its old high. Because VXUS launched in January 2011, that record does not include the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis or the 2010 flash crash.

### What were VXUS's best and worst years?

Over 14 full calendar years, VXUS's best year was 2025, when it returned 32.3%. Its worst was 2022, with a return of -16.1%.

### Is there a better investment than VXUS?

Among VXUS's popular alternatives, VTI and FNDF earned more than VXUS over the past 5 years with similar volatility: VTI returned 11.5% a year at 17.5% volatility, against 8.2% a year at 16.4%. A cheaper fund that has kept up over the past decade is VEA (0.03% a year against 0.05%).

### Is VXUS more volatile than the S&P 500?

No. VXUS's volatility over the past 5 years was 16.4%, 1.0 times the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, VXUS's return lands within 16.4% of its average, either way. The higher it is, the rougher the ride and the harder it is to hold through a slump.

### What is VXUS's Sharpe ratio?

VXUS's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.57, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so VXUS earned less for each unit of risk than an index fund did. The Sharpe ratio is the return earned above cash for each unit of volatility: two investments with the same return are not equal if one got there with far bigger swings.

### How correlated is VXUS with the S&P 500?

Over the past 5 years, VXUS's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.80 with the S&P 500. Correlation runs from 1 (moving in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to −1 (moving in opposite directions). They often move together: some diversification next to an index fund, but not a cushion. In the table, the correlation column measures each option against VXUS instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a VXUS holding.

### What are the best alternatives to VXUS?

Of the 23 popular alternatives we compared, eight outperformed VXUS in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, with dividends reinvested: VTI, FNDF and VT.

### Did VXUS outperform the S&P 500?

VXUS finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in four of 14 full calendar years. In 2025, it returned +32.3%, against +17.7% for the index.

### How did VXUS do in stock market crashes?

VXUS fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in two of the seven major crashes it has traded through, and further in three. The clearest case was the 2015 China and oil sell-off, when VXUS fell 20.2% and the S&P 500 fell 12.8%.

### What diversifies VXUS?

These had a low correlation with VXUS over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, MLPX (correlation 0.48), GLD (correlation 0.48) and XLE (correlation 0.28); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.28), CLS (correlation 0.29) and FIX (correlation 0.39). A correlation near zero means the two have moved largely independently.

## More research

- [Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/vti)
- [Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/vt)
- [Schwab International Equity ETF (SCHF) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/schf)
- [State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF (SPDW) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/spdw)
- [Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/vea)
- [iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/iemg)
- [iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/efa)
- [Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US ETF (VEU) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/veu)
- [iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/iefa)
- [Vanguard Total International Bond ETF (BNDX) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/bndx)
- [iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF (IXUS) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/ixus)
- [Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/vwo)

## Explore further

- Full page with charts: https://easycompare.io/research/vxus
- All research pages: https://easycompare.io/llms.txt
- Compare the entire market against VXUS live: https://betterthanspy.com/?b=VXUS&utm_source=easycompare&utm_medium=research