ACWX vs. VWO
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF (ACWX) and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO).
ACWX and VWO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. ACWX is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI All Country World ex-U.S. Index. It was launched on Mar 26, 2008. VWO is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the FTSE Emerging Index. It was launched on Mar 4, 2005. Both ACWX and VWO are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
ACWX vs. VWO - Performance Comparison
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ACWX vs. VWO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ACWX iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF | 3.37% | 32.59% | 5.17% | 15.63% | -16.07% | 7.67% | 10.29% | 21.05% | -13.99% | 27.20% |
VWO Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF | 0.84% | 25.60% | 10.59% | 9.25% | -17.98% | 1.26% | 15.17% | 20.75% | -14.76% | 31.49% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ACWX achieves a 3.37% return, which is significantly higher than VWO's 0.84% return. Over the past 10 years, ACWX has outperformed VWO with an annualized return of 8.81%, while VWO has yielded a comparatively lower 7.66% annualized return.
ACWX
- 1D
- 1.34%
- 1M
- -5.18%
- YTD
- 3.37%
- 6M
- 7.55%
- 1Y
- 28.49%
- 3Y*
- 15.86%
- 5Y*
- 7.40%
- 10Y*
- 8.81%
VWO
- 1D
- 0.30%
- 1M
- -5.29%
- YTD
- 0.84%
- 6M
- 1.39%
- 1Y
- 22.71%
- 3Y*
- 13.84%
- 5Y*
- 3.90%
- 10Y*
- 7.66%
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ACWX vs. VWO - Expense Ratio Comparison
ACWX has a 0.32% expense ratio, which is higher than VWO's 0.08% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
ACWX vs. VWO — Risk / Return Rank
ACWX
VWO
ACWX vs. VWO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF (ACWX) and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| ACWX | VWO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.65 | 1.28 | +0.37 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.25 | 1.80 | +0.45 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.26 | +0.07 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.53 | 1.89 | +0.64 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.65 | 7.18 | +2.47 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ACWX | VWO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.65 | 1.28 | +0.37 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.46 | 0.23 | +0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.51 | 0.40 | +0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.21 | 0.25 | -0.04 |
Correlation
The correlation between ACWX and VWO is 0.88, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
ACWX vs. VWO - Dividend Comparison
ACWX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.73%, more than VWO's 2.68% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ACWX iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF | 2.73% | 2.82% | 2.97% | 2.96% | 2.68% | 2.74% | 1.88% | 3.22% | 2.60% | 2.40% | 2.77% | 2.51% |
VWO Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF | 2.68% | 2.79% | 3.20% | 3.52% | 4.11% | 2.63% | 1.91% | 3.23% | 2.88% | 2.30% | 2.52% | 3.26% |
Drawdowns
ACWX vs. VWO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ACWX drawdown since its inception was -60.40%, smaller than the maximum VWO drawdown of -67.68%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ACWX and VWO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ACWX | VWO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -60.40% | -67.68% | +7.28% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.42% | -12.23% | +0.81% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -30.07% | -32.80% | +2.73% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.38% | -36.39% | +1.01% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.28% | -8.13% | +0.85% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.44% | -15.93% | +2.49% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.00% | 3.22% | -0.22% |
Volatility
ACWX vs. VWO - Volatility Comparison
iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF (ACWX) has a higher volatility of 7.85% compared to Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) at 7.41%. This indicates that ACWX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VWO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ACWX | VWO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.85% | 7.41% | +0.44% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.78% | 12.26% | -0.48% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.38% | 17.83% | -0.45% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.05% | 17.21% | -1.16% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.29% | 19.18% | -1.89% |