EMB vs. VTIP
EMB (iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF) and VTIP (Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - EMB is a Emerging Markets Bonds fund tracking the J.P. Morgan EMBI Global Core Index, while VTIP is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0-5 Year Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, EMB returned 3.30%/yr vs 3.03%/yr for VTIP. At a 0.38 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. EMB charges 0.39%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VTIP.
Performance
EMB vs. VTIP - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EMB achieves a 2.18% return, which is significantly higher than VTIP's 1.36% return. Over the past 10 years, EMB has outperformed VTIP with an annualized return of 3.30%, while VTIP has yielded a comparatively lower 3.03% annualized return.
EMB
- 1D
- -0.15%
- 1M
- 1.57%
- YTD
- 2.18%
- 6M
- 2.21%
- 1Y
- 10.82%
- 3Y*
- 9.37%
- 5Y*
- 1.88%
- 10Y*
- 3.30%
VTIP
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- -0.22%
- YTD
- 1.36%
- 6M
- 1.50%
- 1Y
- 3.58%
- 3Y*
- 5.00%
- 5Y*
- 3.28%
- 10Y*
- 3.03%
EMB vs. VTIP - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EMB iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF | 2.18% | 13.85% | 5.54% | 10.62% | -18.63% | -2.23% | 5.42% | 15.48% | -5.47% | 10.28% |
VTIP Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF | 1.36% | 6.07% | 4.74% | 4.62% | -2.94% | 5.36% | 4.95% | 4.86% | 0.56% | 0.82% |
Correlation
The correlation between EMB and VTIP is 0.28, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.42 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 16, 2012 | 0.38 |
The correlation between EMB and VTIP shifts across timeframes, from 0.28 (1 year) to 0.50 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
EMB vs. VTIP — Risk / Return Rank
EMB
VTIP
EMB vs. VTIP - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF (EMB) and Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP). 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.
| EMB | VTIP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.37 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.76 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.37 | 1.47 | -0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.41 | 5.03 | -2.62 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.26 | 17.90 | -7.63 |
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Drawdowns
EMB vs. VTIP - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EMB drawdown since its inception was -34.70%, which is greater than VTIP's maximum drawdown of -6.27%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EMB and VTIP.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EMB | VTIP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -34.70% | -6.27% | -28.43% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.51% | -0.71% | -3.80% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -7.95% | -0.98% | -6.97% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.74% | -5.50% | -23.24% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -28.74% | -6.27% | -22.47% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.49% | -0.69% | +0.20% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.04% | -1.04% | -4.00% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.06% | 0.20% | +0.86% |
Volatility
EMB vs. VTIP - Volatility Comparison
iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF (EMB) has a higher volatility of 1.78% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP) at 0.65%. This indicates that EMB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VTIP based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| EMB | VTIP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.78% | 0.65% | +1.13% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 4.68% | 1.17% | +3.51% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 5.68% | 1.57% | +4.11% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 9.76% | 2.77% | +6.99% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 9.96% | 2.74% | +7.22% |
EMB vs. VTIP - Expense Ratio Comparison
EMB has a 0.39% expense ratio, which is higher than VTIP's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
EMB vs. VTIP - Dividend Comparison
EMB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.04%, more than VTIP's 3.61% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EMB iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF | 5.04% | 4.98% | 5.46% | 4.74% | 5.04% | 3.89% | 3.88% | 4.51% | 5.64% | 4.54% | 4.83% | 4.84% |
VTIP Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF | 3.61% | 3.81% | 2.70% | 2.86% | 6.84% | 4.68% | 1.20% | 1.95% | 2.45% | 1.52% | 0.76% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
EMB and VTIP 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.
EMB has higher volatility (1.78%) compared to VTIP (0.65%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EMB dropped -34.70% vs VTIP's -6.27%.
On 10-year performance, EMB leads with 3.30% vs 3.03% for VTIP. On fees, VTIP is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VTIP has been the lower-risk option at 0.65%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, EMB has performed better with a 3.30% return vs 3.03%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTIP is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.39% for EMB.
EMB has the higher dividend yield at 5.04%, compared with 3.61% for VTIP.
EMB is categorized as Emerging Markets Bonds, while VTIP is Inflation-Protected Bonds. EMB tracks J.P. Morgan EMBI Global Core Index, while VTIP tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0-5 Year Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.39% for EMB and 0.03% for VTIP.
VTIP currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.28 vs 1.91), 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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