VTIAX vs VXUS: Returns, Drawdowns and Dividends Since 2016
VTIAX (Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Admiral Shares) and VXUS (Vanguard Total International Stock ETF) moved almost in lockstep: their daily returns had a correlation of 0.988, where 1 would mean identical. VXUS came out ahead, returning 9.2% a year with dividends reinvested from January 2016 to November 2026, against 9.1% for VTIAX.
Bought on any day and held five years, VXUS finished ahead 78% of the time. Both fell about 36% at their worst, in March 2020.
| Measure | VTIAX | VXUS |
|---|---|---|
| Annual return | 9.1% | 9.2% |
| $10,000 grew to | $25,784 | $25,875 |
| Worst decline | −35.8%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. | 16.0% | 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 | 0.49 | 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. | 2.3% | 2.4% |
| Best year | +32.2%2025 | +32.3%2025 |
| Worst year | −16.0%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. | 0.988 | |
VTIAX: Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Admiral SharesVXUS: Vanguard Total International Stock ETF
Jan 4, 2016 to Nov 4, 2026, dividends reinvested.
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Worst declines
VTIAX fell 35.8% from Jan 26, 2018 to Mar 23, 2020 and was back at its high on Nov 16, 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
VTIAX was ahead in 6 of the 11 calendar years.
| Year | VTIAX | VXUS | Ahead (pts) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to Nov 4) | +11.7% | +12.0% | VXUS+0.3 |
| 2025 | +32.2% | +32.3% | VXUS+0.2 |
| 2024 | +5.2% | +5.1% | VTIAX+0.1 |
| 2023 | +15.5% | +15.9% | VXUS+0.4 |
| 2022 | −16.0% | −16.1% | VTIAX+0.1 |
| 2021 | +8.6% | +9.0% | VXUS+0.4 |
| 2020 | +11.3% | +10.7% | VTIAX+0.6 |
| 2019 | +21.5% | +21.8% | VXUS+0.2 |
| 2018 | −14.4% | −14.4% | Even |
| 2017 | +27.6% | +27.5% | VTIAX+0.1 |
| 2016 (from Jan 4) | +6.8% | +6.7% | VTIAX+0.1 |
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 | VXUS55% | Even |
| 3 years | 1,970 | VXUS67% | +0.1 |
| 5 years | 1,466 | VXUS78% | +0.2 |
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 VTIAX paid 2.3% 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 | VTIAX | VXUS |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to Nov 4) | $0.32 3 payments | $0.62 3 payments |
| 2025 | $1.28 4 payments | $2.40 4 payments |
| 2024 | $1.05 4 payments | $1.98 4 payments |
| 2023 | $1.00 4 payments | $1.88 4 payments |
| 2022 | $0.85 4 payments | $1.60 4 payments |
| 2021 | $1.04 4 payments | $1.97 4 payments |
| 2020 | $0.68 4 payments | $1.29 4 payments |
| 2019 | $0.91 4 payments | $1.71 4 payments |
| 2018 | $0.80 4 payments | $1.50 4 payments |
| 2017 | $0.83 4 payments | $1.55 4 payments |
| 2016 (from Jan 4) | $0.72 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
- VTIAX
- Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Admiral Shares, a mutual fund launched Nov 29, 2010. FinLab prices start Jan 4, 2016.
- 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.