DGIT.L vs. XDEF

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

DGIT.L (iShares Digitalisation UCITS Acc) and XDEF (Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - DGIT.L is a Technology Equities fund tracking the MSCI World/Information Tech NR USD, while XDEF is a Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the STOXX Europe Total Market Defence, Space and Cybersecurity Innovation 50-25 Index. Both are passively managed. At a 0.28 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. DGIT.L charges 0.40%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for XDEF.

Performance

DGIT.L vs. XDEF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in iShares Digitalisation UCITS Acc (DGIT.L) and Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF (XDEF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

DGIT.L is traded in GBp, while XDEF is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the XDEF values have been converted to GBp using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

DGIT.L

• 1D: 1.17%
• 1M: 10.23%
• YTD: 2.64%
• 6M: 0.90%
• 1Y: 1.12%
• 3Y*: 11.91%
• 5Y*: 2.10%
• 10Y*: —

XDEF

• 1D: 2.03%
• 1M: -0.92%
• YTD: —
• 6M: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

DGIT.L vs. XDEF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
DGIT.L iShares Digitalisation UCITS Acc	3.78%
XDEF Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF	-99.15%

Correlation

The correlation between DGIT.L and XDEF is 0.28, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 5, 2026	0.28

Return for Risk

DGIT.L vs. XDEF — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

DGIT.L

DGIT.L Risk / Return Rank: 10
DGIT.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 10
DGIT.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 10
DGIT.L Omega Ratio Rank: 10
DGIT.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
DGIT.L Martin Ratio Rank: 10

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

DGIT.L vs. XDEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Digitalisation UCITS Acc (DGIT.L) and Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF (XDEF). 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.

	DGIT.L	XDEF	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.07	—	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.20	—	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.02	—	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.05	—	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.11	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	DGIT.L	XDEF	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.07	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.11	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.46	-0.64	+1.10

Drawdowns

DGIT.L vs. XDEF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum DGIT.L drawdown since its inception was -37.95%, smaller than the maximum XDEF drawdown of -99.29%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DGIT.L and XDEF.

Drawdown Indicators

	DGIT.L	XDEF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-37.95%	-99.29%	+61.34%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-22.67%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-25.07%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-37.95%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.94%	-99.25%	+90.31%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.03%	-71.08%	+60.05%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	10.16%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	DGIT.L	XDEF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.28%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.82%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.16%	156.57%	-140.41%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.37%	156.57%	-137.20%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.02%	156.57%	-137.55%

DGIT.L vs. XDEF - Expense Ratio Comparison

DGIT.L has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is higher than XDEF's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

DGIT.L vs. XDEF - Dividend Comparison

Neither DGIT.L nor XDEF has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both DGIT.L and XDEF in my portfolio?

DGIT.L and XDEF have a correlation of 0.28, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, DGIT.L or XDEF?

On fees, XDEF is cheaper at 0.35% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, DGIT.L or XDEF?

XDEF is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.40% for DGIT.L.

What is the main difference between DGIT.L and XDEF?

DGIT.L is categorized as Technology Equities, while XDEF is Aerospace & Defense. DGIT.L tracks MSCI World/Information Tech NR USD, while XDEF tracks STOXX Europe Total Market Defence, Space and Cybersecurity Innovation 50-25 Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Xtrackers. Their fees differ too: 0.40% for DGIT.L and 0.35% for XDEF.