LTCN vs. VEA
LTCN (Grayscale Litecoin Trust) and VEA (Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - LTCN is a Cryptocurrency fund tracking the CoinDesk Litecoin Price Index, while VEA is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, LTCN returned -56.75%/yr vs 9.09%/yr for VEA. At a 0.30 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. LTCN charges 2.50%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VEA.
Performance
LTCN vs. VEA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LTCN achieves a -43.96% return, which is significantly lower than VEA's 12.02% return.
LTCN
- 1D
- 4.81%
- 1M
- -24.48%
- YTD
- -43.96%
- 6M
- -51.98%
- 1Y
- -52.19%
- 3Y*
- -6.26%
- 5Y*
- -56.75%
- 10Y*
- —
VEA
- 1D
- 1.00%
- 1M
- -1.37%
- YTD
- 12.02%
- 6M
- 14.95%
- 1Y
- 28.06%
- 3Y*
- 18.65%
- 5Y*
- 9.09%
- 10Y*
- 10.14%
LTCN vs. VEA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LTCN Grayscale Litecoin Trust | -43.96% | -54.37% | -18.79% | 650.00% | -77.17% | -96.84% | 731.43% |
VEA Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF | 12.02% | 35.16% | 3.15% | 17.93% | -15.34% | 11.66% | 14.03% |
Correlation
The correlation between LTCN and VEA is 0.33, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.32 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 18, 2020 | 0.30 |
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Return for Risk
LTCN vs. VEA — Risk / Return Rank
LTCN
VEA
LTCN vs. VEA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Grayscale Litecoin Trust (LTCN) and Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA). 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.
| LTCN | VEA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.50 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.41 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.89 | 1.32 | -0.43 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.73 | 2.42 | -3.15 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.20 | 9.39 | -10.58 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| LTCN | VEA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.75 | 1.75 | -2.50 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.54 | 0.55 | -1.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.59 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | -0.20 | 0.24 | -0.44 |
Drawdowns
LTCN vs. VEA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LTCN drawdown since its inception was -99.58%, which is greater than VEA's maximum drawdown of -60.68%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LTCN and VEA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LTCN | VEA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -99.58% | -60.68% | -38.90% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -71.62% | -11.63% | -59.99% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -93.36% | -13.45% | -79.91% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -98.89% | -29.71% | -69.18% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -35.73% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -99.35% | -3.40% | -95.95% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -89.63% | -13.29% | -76.34% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 43.63% | 3.00% | +40.63% |
Volatility
LTCN vs. VEA - Volatility Comparison
Grayscale Litecoin Trust (LTCN) has a higher volatility of 14.56% compared to Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) at 6.03%. This indicates that LTCN's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VEA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| LTCN | VEA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 14.56% | 6.03% | +8.53% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 41.57% | 13.91% | +27.66% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 70.10% | 16.15% | +53.95% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 106.33% | 16.63% | +89.70% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 141.32% | 17.40% | +123.92% |
LTCN vs. VEA - Expense Ratio Comparison
LTCN has a 2.50% expense ratio, which is higher than VEA's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
LTCN vs. VEA - Dividend Comparison
LTCN has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VEA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.69%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LTCN Grayscale Litecoin Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VEA Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF | 2.69% | 3.22% | 3.35% | 3.15% | 2.91% | 3.16% | 2.04% | 3.04% | 3.35% | 2.77% | 3.05% | 2.92% |
Frequently Asked Questions
LTCN and VEA have a correlation of 0.33, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
LTCN has higher volatility (14.56%) compared to VEA (6.03%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LTCN dropped -99.58% vs VEA's -60.68%.
On 5-year performance, VEA leads with 9.09% vs -56.75% for LTCN. On fees, VEA is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VEA has been the lower-risk option at 6.03%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, VEA has performed better with a 9.09% return vs -56.75%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VEA is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 2.50% for LTCN.
VEA has the higher dividend yield at 2.69%, compared with 0.00% for LTCN.
LTCN is categorized as Cryptocurrency, while VEA is Foreign Large Cap Equities. LTCN tracks CoinDesk Litecoin Price Index, while VEA tracks FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index. They also come from different issuers: Grayscale and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 2.50% for LTCN and 0.03% for VEA.
VEA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.75 vs -0.75), 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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