FLXE.DE vs. VFEA.DE

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

FLXE.DE (Franklin Emerging Markets UCITS ETF) and VFEA.DE (Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Acc) are both Emerging Markets Equities funds - FLXE.DE tracks the MSCI EM NR USD while VFEA.DE tracks the FTSE Emerging. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FLXE.DE returned 7.69%/yr vs 5.93%/yr for VFEA.DE. Their correlation of 0.85 suggests significant overlap in exposure. FLXE.DE charges 0.45%/yr vs 0.22%/yr for VFEA.DE.

Performance

FLXE.DE vs. VFEA.DE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a €10,000 investment in Franklin Emerging Markets UCITS ETF (FLXE.DE) and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Acc (VFEA.DE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FLXE.DE achieves a 16.10% return, which is significantly higher than VFEA.DE's 12.59% return.

FLXE.DE

• 1D: -0.62%
• 1M: 0.38%
• YTD: 16.10%
• 6M: 15.79%
• 1Y: 29.88%
• 3Y*: 15.92%
• 5Y*: 7.69%
• 10Y*: —

VFEA.DE

• 1D: -0.47%
• 1M: 0.37%
• YTD: 12.59%
• 6M: 12.22%
• 1Y: 25.81%
• 3Y*: 15.02%
• 5Y*: 5.93%
• 10Y*: —

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

FLXE.DE vs. VFEA.DE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
FLXE.DE Franklin Emerging Markets UCITS ETF	16.10%	13.48%	13.20%	8.82%	-14.02%	16.09%	-8.15%	6.00%
VFEA.DE Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Acc	12.59%	11.25%	19.29%	3.31%	-10.70%	6.34%	3.46%	9.82%

Correlation

The correlation between FLXE.DE and VFEA.DE is 0.83, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.83
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.81
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.83
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 27, 2019	0.85

The correlation between FLXE.DE and VFEA.DE has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.81 to 0.85 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

FLXE.DE vs. VFEA.DE — Risk / Return Rank

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

FLXE.DE

FLXE.DE Risk / Return Rank: 71
FLXE.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
FLXE.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 71
FLXE.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 72
FLXE.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
FLXE.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 67

VFEA.DE

VFEA.DE Risk / Return Rank: 58
VFEA.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 54
VFEA.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
VFEA.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 53
VFEA.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 65
VFEA.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 61

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.

FLXE.DE vs. VFEA.DE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin Emerging Markets UCITS ETF (FLXE.DE) and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Acc (VFEA.DE). 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.

	FLXE.DE	VFEA.DE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.30	1.82	+0.49
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.18	2.60	+0.58
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.33	+0.10
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.58	3.17	+0.41
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.18	10.71	+1.47
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FLXE.DE vs. VFEA.DE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FLXE.DE Sharpe Ratio is 2.30, which is comparable to the VFEA.DE Sharpe Ratio of 1.82. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FLXE.DE and VFEA.DE, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	FLXE.DE	VFEA.DE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.30	1.82	+0.49
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.56	0.37	+0.18
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.36	0.43	-0.07

Drawdowns

FLXE.DE vs. VFEA.DE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FLXE.DE drawdown since its inception was -32.87%, which is greater than VFEA.DE's maximum drawdown of -30.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FLXE.DE and VFEA.DE.

Drawdown Indicators

	FLXE.DE	VFEA.DE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-32.87%	-30.51%	-2.36%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.39%	-8.44%	+0.05%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.16%	-18.97%	+4.81%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.56%	-19.99%	+1.43%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.81%	-1.85%	+0.04%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.16%	-8.59%	+1.43%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.47%	2.50%	-0.03%

Volatility

FLXE.DE vs. VFEA.DE - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Franklin Emerging Markets UCITS ETF (FLXE.DE) is 5.11%, while Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Acc (VFEA.DE) has a volatility of 5.45%. This indicates that FLXE.DE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VFEA.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FLXE.DE	VFEA.DE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.11%	5.45%	-0.34%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.96%	11.82%	-0.86%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.04%	14.70%	-1.66%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.69%	15.69%	-2.00%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.06%	18.20%	-2.14%

FLXE.DE vs. VFEA.DE - Expense Ratio Comparison

FLXE.DE has a 0.45% expense ratio, which is higher than VFEA.DE's 0.22% expense ratio.

Dividends

FLXE.DE vs. VFEA.DE - Dividend Comparison

Neither FLXE.DE nor VFEA.DE has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FLXE.DE and VFEA.DE in my portfolio?

FLXE.DE and VFEA.DE have a correlation of 0.83, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, FLXE.DE or VFEA.DE?

On fees, VFEA.DE is cheaper at 0.22% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, FLXE.DE or VFEA.DE?

VFEA.DE is cheaper with a 0.22% expense ratio, compared with 0.45% for FLXE.DE.

What is the main difference between FLXE.DE and VFEA.DE?

FLXE.DE tracks MSCI EM NR USD, while VFEA.DE tracks FTSE Emerging. They also come from different issuers: Franklin Templeton and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.45% for FLXE.DE and 0.22% for VFEA.DE.