VT vs VXUS: Returns, Drawdowns and Dividends Since 2016
VT (Vanguard Total World Stock ETF) and VXUS (Vanguard Total International Stock ETF) mostly moved together (a daily correlation of 0.944, where 1 would mean identical). VT came out ahead, returning 12.2% a year with dividends reinvested from January 2016 to November 2026, against 9.2% for VXUS.
Bought on any day and held five years, VT finished ahead 100% of the time. Both fell about 35% at their worst, in March 2020.
| Measure | VT | VXUS |
|---|---|---|
| Annual return | 12.2% | 9.2% |
| $10,000 grew to | $34,912 | $25,875 |
| Worst decline | −34.2%Mar 2020 | −36.0%Mar 2020 |
| Volatility Volatility How much the fund's daily returns swing: their standard deviation over this period, annualized with the square root of 252 trading days. | 17.1% | 17.2% |
| Sharpe ratio Sharpe ratio Return above T-bills for each unit of risk: daily returns minus the T-bill ETF BIL, averaged, divided by their standard deviation and annualized. Higher is better. T-bill funds show none. Sharpe ratio calculator | 0.64 | 0.47 |
| 12-month yield 12-month yield Cash dividends with ex-dividend dates in the past 12 months, divided by the latest closing price. | 1.5% | 2.4% |
| Best year | +26.8%2019 | +32.3%2025 |
| Worst year | −18.0%2022 | −16.1%2022 |
| Correlation between them Correlation How closely the two funds' daily returns moved together over this period: 1 means identical every day, 0 means no relation. | 0.944 | |
VT: Vanguard Total World Stock ETFVXUS: Vanguard Total International Stock ETF
Jan 4, 2016 to Nov 4, 2026, dividends reinvested.
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Worst declines
VT fell 34.2% from Feb 12, 2020 to Mar 23, 2020 and was back at its high on Aug 24, 2020. VXUS fell 36.0% from Jan 26, 2018 to Mar 23, 2020 and was back at its high on Nov 16, 2020.
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Year by year
VT was ahead in 8 of the 11 calendar years.
| Year | VT | VXUS | Ahead (pts) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to Nov 4) | +12.8% | +12.0% | VT+0.8 |
| 2025 | +22.4% | +32.3% | VXUS+9.9 |
| 2024 | +16.5% | +5.1% | VT+11.4 |
| 2023 | +22.0% | +15.9% | VT+6.1 |
| 2022 | −18.0% | −16.1% | VXUS+1.9 |
| 2021 | +18.3% | +9.0% | VT+9.3 |
| 2020 | +16.6% | +10.7% | VT+5.9 |
| 2019 | +26.8% | +21.8% | VT+5.1 |
| 2018 | −9.8% | −14.4% | VT+4.7 |
| 2017 | +24.5% | +27.5% | VXUS+3.0 |
| 2016 (from Jan 4) | +10.4% | +6.7% | VT+3.7 |
Held for 1, 3 or 5 years: which came out ahead
Buy on any trading day from Jan 4, 2016, hold for a set time, and see which fund ended higher. The periods overlap, so they show how much the start date mattered, not separate results.
| Hold | Days tested | Ahead more often | Median lead (pts) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 2,474 | VT71% | +3.7 |
| 3 years | 1,970 | VT100% | +12.8 |
| 5 years | 1,466 | VT100% | +28.0 |
Median lead is the typical gap in total return across all start dates, in percentage points. The latest 5-year hold starts on Oct 27, 2021.
Dividends
Over the past 12 months VT paid 1.5% of its price in dividends and VXUS 2.4%. The returns above already include them, reinvested on each ex-dividend date.
Dividends per share by year
| Year | VT | VXUS |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to Nov 4) | $1.30 3 payments | $0.62 3 payments |
| 2025 | $2.57 4 payments | $2.40 4 payments |
| 2024 | $2.29 4 payments | $1.98 4 payments |
| 2023 | $2.14 4 payments | $1.88 4 payments |
| 2022 | $1.90 4 payments | $1.60 4 payments |
| 2021 | $1.96 4 payments | $1.97 4 payments |
| 2020 | $1.54 4 payments | $1.29 4 payments |
| 2019 | $1.88 4 payments | $1.71 4 payments |
| 2018 | $1.66 4 payments | $1.50 4 payments |
| 2017 | $1.56 4 payments | $1.55 4 payments |
| 2016 (from Jan 4) | $1.46 4 payments | $1.34 4 payments |
Per share in today's shares (earlier amounts are restated for share splits), by ex-dividend date.
The two funds
- VT
- Vanguard Total World Stock ETF, an ETF launched Jun 26, 2008. FinLab prices start Jan 4, 2016.
- VT price and signal backtests
- VXUS
- Vanguard Total International Stock ETF, an ETF launched Jan 28, 2011. FinLab prices start Jan 4, 2016.
- VXUS price and signal backtests
More comparisons
Source: FinLab U.S. fund prices, Jan 4, 2016 to Nov 4, 2026, the days both funds traded. Returns use prices adjusted for dividends and splits, before taxes; annual return is compounded.
For research and education. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and this is not investment advice.