BSV vs. VT
BSV (Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares) and VT (Vanguard Total World Stock ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - BSV is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 1–5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index, while VT is a Global Equities fund tracking the FTSE Global All Cap Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, BSV returned 1.95%/yr vs 12.74%/yr for VT. At a correlation of -0.07, they often move in opposite directions. BSV charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for VT.
Performance
BSV vs. VT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BSV achieves a 0.29% return, which is significantly lower than VT's 12.24% return. Over the past 10 years, BSV has underperformed VT with an annualized return of 1.95%, while VT has yielded a comparatively higher 12.74% annualized return.
BSV
- 1D
- -0.08%
- 1M
- 0.06%
- YTD
- 0.29%
- 6M
- 0.52%
- 1Y
- 3.68%
- 3Y*
- 4.41%
- 5Y*
- 1.62%
- 10Y*
- 1.95%
VT
- 1D
- -0.88%
- 1M
- 4.91%
- YTD
- 12.24%
- 6M
- 13.14%
- 1Y
- 29.24%
- 3Y*
- 20.93%
- 5Y*
- 10.99%
- 10Y*
- 12.74%
BSV vs. VT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.29% | 6.00% | 3.78% | 4.90% | -5.49% | -1.09% | 4.70% | 4.98% | 1.34% | 1.20% |
VT Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | 12.24% | 22.43% | 16.49% | 22.02% | -18.00% | 18.27% | 16.59% | 26.81% | -9.76% | 24.50% |
Correlation
The correlation between BSV and VT is 0.29, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.18 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 27, 2008 | -0.07 |
The correlation between BSV and VT shifts across timeframes, from -0.07 (all time) to 0.29 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
BSV vs. VT — Risk / Return Rank
BSV
VT
BSV vs. VT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV) and Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT). 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.
| BSV | VT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.27 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.08 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.39 | 1.42 | -0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.87 | 3.04 | -0.17 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.07 | 13.53 | -3.46 |
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
| BSV | VT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.05 | 2.31 | -0.27 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.60 | 0.69 | -0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.83 | 0.74 | +0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.85 | 0.44 | +0.42 |
Drawdowns
BSV vs. VT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BSV drawdown since its inception was -8.54%, smaller than the maximum VT drawdown of -50.27%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BSV and VT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BSV | VT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -8.54% | -50.27% | +41.73% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.29% | -9.67% | +8.38% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.53% | -16.51% | +14.98% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -8.54% | -26.38% | +17.84% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -8.54% | -34.24% | +25.70% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.63% | -0.88% | +0.25% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.97% | -7.02% | +6.05% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.37% | 2.17% | -1.80% |
Volatility
BSV vs. VT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV) is 0.52%, while Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT) has a volatility of 3.83%. This indicates that BSV experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BSV | VT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.52% | 3.83% | -3.31% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.26% | 10.17% | -8.91% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.81% | 12.70% | -10.89% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.72% | 16.05% | -13.33% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.37% | 17.23% | -14.86% |
BSV vs. VT - Expense Ratio Comparison
BSV has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than VT's 0.06% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
BSV vs. VT - Dividend Comparison
BSV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.00%, more than VT's 1.59% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 4.00% | 3.83% | 3.38% | 2.46% | 1.50% | 1.45% | 1.79% | 2.29% | 1.99% | 1.65% | 1.48% | 1.40% |
VT Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | 1.59% | 1.82% | 1.95% | 2.08% | 2.20% | 1.82% | 1.66% | 2.32% | 2.53% | 2.11% | 2.39% | 2.45% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BSV and VT have a correlation of 0.29, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VT has higher volatility (3.83%) compared to BSV (0.52%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BSV dropped -8.54% vs VT's -50.27%.
On 10-year performance, VT leads with 12.74% vs 1.95% for BSV. On fees, BSV is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, BSV has been the lower-risk option at 0.52%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VT has performed better with a 12.74% return vs 1.95%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BSV is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.06% for VT.
BSV has the higher dividend yield at 4.00%, compared with 1.59% for VT.
BSV is categorized as Short-Term Bond, while VT is Global Equities. BSV tracks Bloomberg U.S. 1–5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index, while VT tracks FTSE Global All Cap Index. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for BSV and 0.06% for VT.
VT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.31 vs 2.05), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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