EDV vs. BLV
EDV (Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF) and BLV (Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - EDV is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury STRIPS 20-30 Year Equal Par Bond Index, while BLV is a Long-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Long Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, EDV returned -3.45%/yr vs 0.91%/yr for BLV. Their correlation of 0.90 suggests significant overlap in exposure. EDV charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for BLV.
Performance
EDV vs. BLV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EDV achieves a 0.88% return, which is significantly higher than BLV's 0.81% return. Over the past 10 years, EDV has underperformed BLV with an annualized return of -3.45%, while BLV has yielded a comparatively higher 0.91% annualized return.
EDV
- 1D
- -1.20%
- 1M
- 3.55%
- YTD
- 0.88%
- 6M
- 0.43%
- 1Y
- 4.03%
- 3Y*
- -5.37%
- 5Y*
- -10.33%
- 10Y*
- -3.45%
BLV
- 1D
- -0.55%
- 1M
- 1.61%
- YTD
- 0.81%
- 6M
- 0.84%
- 1Y
- 5.47%
- 3Y*
- 1.85%
- 5Y*
- -3.65%
- 10Y*
- 0.91%
EDV vs. BLV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EDV Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF | 0.88% | 0.65% | -12.78% | 1.65% | -39.15% | -6.19% | 23.59% | 18.67% | -3.40% | 13.94% |
BLV Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF | 0.81% | 6.44% | -3.65% | 7.35% | -26.95% | -2.89% | 16.13% | 18.99% | -4.17% | 10.74% |
Correlation
The correlation between EDV and BLV is 0.96 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.96 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.97 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.96 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 13, 2007 | 0.90 |
The correlation between EDV and BLV has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.97 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
EDV vs. BLV — Risk / Return Rank
EDV
BLV
EDV vs. BLV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF (EDV) and Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| EDV | BLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.41 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.53 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.06 | 1.12 | -0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.32 | 0.96 | -0.64 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.72 | 2.34 | -1.63 |
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Drawdowns
EDV vs. BLV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EDV drawdown since its inception was -59.96%, which is greater than BLV's maximum drawdown of -38.29%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EDV and BLV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EDV | BLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.96% | -38.29% | -21.67% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.54% | -5.73% | -6.81% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.90% | -15.16% | -11.74% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -55.03% | -36.27% | -18.76% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -59.96% | -38.29% | -21.67% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -53.72% | -23.74% | -29.98% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -23.51% | -9.55% | -13.96% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.62% | 2.34% | +3.28% |
Volatility
EDV vs. BLV - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF (EDV) has a higher volatility of 3.44% compared to Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV) at 1.97%. This indicates that EDV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BLV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| EDV | BLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.44% | 1.97% | +1.47% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.90% | 5.76% | +4.14% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.29% | 7.98% | +6.31% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.58% | 12.93% | +8.65% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.82% | 11.99% | +7.83% |
EDV vs. BLV - Expense Ratio Comparison
EDV has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is higher than BLV's 0.03% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
EDV vs. BLV - Dividend Comparison
EDV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.91%, more than BLV's 4.78% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BLV Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF | 4.78% | 4.67% | 5.09% | 4.06% | 4.17% | 3.37% | 6.12% | 3.57% | 4.07% | 3.63% | 4.16% | 4.37% |
EDV Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury ETF | 4.91% | 4.94% | 4.65% | 3.81% | 3.28% | 1.95% | 5.54% | 3.51% | 2.90% | 2.92% | 5.32% | 4.24% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.96, EDV and BLV move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
EDV has higher volatility (3.44%) compared to BLV (1.97%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EDV dropped -59.96% vs BLV's -38.29%.
On 10-year performance, BLV leads with 0.91% vs -3.45% for EDV. On fees, BLV is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, BLV has been the lower-risk option at 1.97%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, BLV has performed better with a 0.91% return vs -3.45%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BLV is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.05% for EDV.
EDV has the higher dividend yield at 4.91%, compared with 4.78% for BLV.
EDV is categorized as Government Bonds, while BLV is Long-Term Bond. EDV tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury STRIPS 20-30 Year Equal Par Bond Index, while BLV tracks Bloomberg U.S. Long Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. Their fees differ too: 0.05% for EDV and 0.03% for BLV.
BLV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.69 vs 0.28), 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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