FSEM.L vs. VEMA.L

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

FSEM.L (Fidelity Sustainable USD EM Bond UCITS ETF Inc) and VEMA.L (Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating) are both Emerging Markets Bonds funds. FSEM.L is actively managed, while VEMA.L is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FSEM.L returned 1.51%/yr vs 2.32%/yr for VEMA.L. A 0.57 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. FSEM.L charges 0.45%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for VEMA.L.

Performance

FSEM.L vs. VEMA.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Fidelity Sustainable USD EM Bond UCITS ETF Inc (FSEM.L) and Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating (VEMA.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

FSEM.L is traded in USD, while VEMA.L is traded in GBP. To make them comparable, the VEMA.L values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FSEM.L achieves a 2.80% return, which is significantly higher than VEMA.L's 1.21% return.

FSEM.L

• 1D: -0.19%
• 1M: 0.55%
• YTD: 2.80%
• 6M: 3.31%
• 1Y: 12.88%
• 3Y*: 8.73%
• 5Y*: 1.51%
• 10Y*: —

VEMA.L

• 1D: -0.33%
• 1M: 0.97%
• YTD: 1.21%
• 6M: 1.46%
• 1Y: 9.88%
• 3Y*: 8.88%
• 5Y*: 2.32%
• 10Y*: —

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

FSEM.L vs. VEMA.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
FSEM.L Fidelity Sustainable USD EM Bond UCITS ETF Inc	2.80%	13.32%	3.51%	8.82%	-17.90%	2.49%
VEMA.L Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating	1.21%	12.01%	6.31%	8.90%	-15.42%	3.64%

Correlation

The correlation between FSEM.L and VEMA.L is 0.46, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.46
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.60
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.57
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 30, 2021	0.57

The correlation between FSEM.L and VEMA.L shifts across timeframes, from 0.46 (1 year) to 0.60 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

FSEM.L vs. VEMA.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

FSEM.L

FSEM.L Risk / Return Rank: 68
FSEM.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
FSEM.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 71
FSEM.L Omega Ratio Rank: 79
FSEM.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 65
FSEM.L Martin Ratio Rank: 65

VEMA.L

VEMA.L Risk / Return Rank: 51
VEMA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 53
VEMA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
VEMA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 52
VEMA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
VEMA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 41

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.

FSEM.L vs. VEMA.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Fidelity Sustainable USD EM Bond UCITS ETF Inc (FSEM.L) and Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating (VEMA.L). 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.

	FSEM.L	VEMA.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.01	1.75	+0.26
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.19	2.58	+0.62
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.47	1.30	+0.17
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.19	2.44	+0.75
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.58	9.68	+1.91
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FSEM.L vs. VEMA.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FSEM.L Sharpe Ratio is 2.01, which is comparable to the VEMA.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.75. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FSEM.L and VEMA.L, 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

	FSEM.L	VEMA.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.01	1.75	+0.26
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.18	0.29	-0.11
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.23	0.36	-0.13

Drawdowns

FSEM.L vs. VEMA.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FSEM.L drawdown since its inception was -28.00%, which is greater than VEMA.L's maximum drawdown of -24.04%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FSEM.L and VEMA.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	FSEM.L	VEMA.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-28.00%	-24.04%	-3.96%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.02%	-4.02%	0.00%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-7.09%	-6.33%	-0.76%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-28.00%	-24.04%	-3.96%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.09%	-0.54%	-0.55%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.21%	-6.02%	-4.19%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.11%	1.02%	+0.09%

Volatility

FSEM.L vs. VEMA.L - Volatility Comparison

Fidelity Sustainable USD EM Bond UCITS ETF Inc (FSEM.L) has a higher volatility of 2.73% compared to Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating (VEMA.L) at 1.98%. This indicates that FSEM.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VEMA.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FSEM.L	VEMA.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.73%	1.98%	+0.75%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.22%	4.29%	+0.93%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.39%	5.62%	+0.77%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	8.58%	8.09%	+0.49%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	8.48%	9.30%	-0.82%

FSEM.L vs. VEMA.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

FSEM.L has a 0.45% expense ratio, which is higher than VEMA.L's 0.25% expense ratio.

Dividends

FSEM.L vs. VEMA.L - Dividend Comparison

FSEM.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.91%, while VEMA.L has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
FSEM.L Fidelity Sustainable USD EM Bond UCITS ETF Inc	7.91%	6.31%	6.49%	5.74%	5.01%	2.41%
VEMA.L Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FSEM.L and VEMA.L in my portfolio?

FSEM.L and VEMA.L have a correlation of 0.46, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, FSEM.L or VEMA.L?

On fees, VEMA.L is cheaper at 0.25% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, FSEM.L or VEMA.L?

VEMA.L is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.45% for FSEM.L.

What is the main difference between FSEM.L and VEMA.L?

They also come from different issuers: Fidelity and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.45% for FSEM.L and 0.25% for VEMA.L.