SPTB vs. VTABX

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

SPTB (State Street SPDR Portfolio Treasury ETF) and VTABX (Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both funds - SPTB is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Index, while VTABX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past year, SPTB returned 4.02% vs 2.21% for VTABX. A 0.71 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. SPTB charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.11%/yr for VTABX.

Performance

SPTB vs. VTABX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in State Street SPDR Portfolio Treasury ETF (SPTB) and Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTABX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SPTB achieves a 0.15% return, which is significantly lower than VTABX's 0.61% return.

SPTB

• 1D: 0.05%
• 1M: 0.00%
• YTD: 0.15%
• 6M: -0.01%
• 1Y: 4.02%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

VTABX

• 1D: -0.13%
• 1M: 0.70%
• YTD: 0.61%
• 6M: 0.60%
• 1Y: 2.21%
• 3Y*: 4.15%
• 5Y*: 0.41%
• 10Y*: 1.81%

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

SPTB vs. VTABX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
SPTB State Street SPDR Portfolio Treasury ETF	0.15%	6.14%	2.17%
VTABX Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares	0.61%	2.96%	4.35%

Correlation

The correlation between SPTB and VTABX is 0.65, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.65
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 22, 2024	0.71

The correlation between SPTB and VTABX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.65 to 0.71 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

SPTB vs. VTABX — Risk / Return Rank

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

SPTB

SPTB Risk / Return Rank: 29
SPTB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 30
SPTB Sortino Ratio Rank: 31
SPTB Omega Ratio Rank: 29
SPTB Calmar Ratio Rank: 26
SPTB Martin Ratio Rank: 27

VTABX

VTABX Risk / Return Rank: 7
VTABX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8
VTABX Sortino Ratio Rank: 7
VTABX Omega Ratio Rank: 8
VTABX Calmar Ratio Rank: 7
VTABX Martin Ratio Rank: 7

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.

SPTB vs. VTABX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street SPDR Portfolio Treasury ETF (SPTB) and Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTABX). 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.

	SPTB	VTABX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.11	0.70	+0.41
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.69	1.01	+0.68
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.20	1.13	+0.07
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.29	0.75	+0.54
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	3.87	2.12	+1.76
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SPTB vs. VTABX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SPTB Sharpe Ratio is 1.11, which is higher than the VTABX Sharpe Ratio of 0.70. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SPTB and VTABX, 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

	SPTB	VTABX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.11	0.70	+0.41
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.09	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.50	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.95	0.74	+0.21

Drawdowns

SPTB vs. VTABX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SPTB drawdown since its inception was -4.96%, smaller than the maximum VTABX drawdown of -16.16%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPTB and VTABX.

Drawdown Indicators

	SPTB	VTABX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-4.96%	-16.16%	+11.20%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.90%	-2.90%	0.00%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-2.90%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-15.81%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-16.16%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.73%	-1.25%	-0.48%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.32%	-3.05%	+1.73%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.97%	1.02%	-0.05%

Volatility

SPTB vs. VTABX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for State Street SPDR Portfolio Treasury ETF (SPTB) is 1.13%, while Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTABX) has a volatility of 1.30%. This indicates that SPTB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VTABX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SPTB	VTABX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.13%	1.30%	-0.17%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.50%	2.57%	-0.07%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.64%	3.03%	+0.61%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	4.42%	4.44%	-0.02%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.42%	3.61%	+0.81%

SPTB vs. VTABX - Expense Ratio Comparison

SPTB has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than VTABX's 0.11% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

SPTB vs. VTABX - Dividend Comparison

SPTB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.19%, less than VTABX's 4.46% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SPTB State Street SPDR Portfolio Treasury ETF	4.19%	4.23%	2.76%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VTABX Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares	4.46%	4.36%	4.33%	4.39%	1.48%	3.70%	1.08%	4.28%	3.00%	2.23%	1.80%	1.64%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SPTB and VTABX in my portfolio?

SPTB and VTABX have a correlation of 0.65, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SPTB or VTABX?

VTABX has higher volatility (1.30%) compared to SPTB (1.13%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SPTB dropped -4.96% vs VTABX's -16.16%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPTB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.11 vs 0.70), 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.