VBIL vs. SPAXX

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VBIL (Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF) and SPAXX (Fidelity Government Money Market Fund) are both funds - VBIL is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg US Treasury Bills 0-3 Months Index, while SPAXX is a Money Market fund actively managed by Fidelity. VBIL is passively managed, while SPAXX is actively managed. Over the past year, VBIL returned 3.93% vs 3.66% for SPAXX. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VBIL charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.42%/yr for SPAXX.

Performance

VBIL vs. SPAXX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL) and Fidelity Government Money Market Fund (SPAXX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VBIL achieves a 1.51% return, which is significantly higher than SPAXX's 1.37% return.

VBIL

• 1D: 0.01%
• 1M: 0.30%
• YTD: 1.51%
• 6M: 1.81%
• 1Y: 3.93%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

SPAXX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.28%
• YTD: 1.37%
• 6M: 1.67%
• 1Y: 3.66%
• 3Y*: 2.42%
• 5Y*: 1.45%
• 10Y*: —

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

VBIL vs. SPAXX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
VBIL Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF	1.51%	3.71%
SPAXX Fidelity Government Money Market Fund	1.37%	3.61%

Correlation

The correlation between VBIL and SPAXX is 0.03, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.03
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 12, 2025	0.06

Return for Risk

VBIL vs. SPAXX — Risk / Return Rank

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

VBIL

VBIL Risk / Return Rank: 100
VBIL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 100
VBIL Sortino Ratio Rank: 100
VBIL Omega Ratio Rank: 100
VBIL Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
VBIL Martin Ratio Rank: 100

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.

VBIL vs. SPAXX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL) and Fidelity Government Money Market Fund (SPAXX). 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.

	VBIL	SPAXX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	15.14	3.65	+11.49
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	39.04	—	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	21.07	—	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	42.54	—	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	531.60	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VBIL vs. SPAXX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VBIL Sharpe Ratio is 15.14, which is higher than the SPAXX Sharpe Ratio of 3.65. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VBIL and SPAXX, 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

	VBIL	SPAXX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.14	3.65	+11.49
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	2.13	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	13.45	2.13	+11.33

Drawdowns

VBIL vs. SPAXX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VBIL drawdown since its inception was -0.09%, which is greater than SPAXX's maximum drawdown of 0.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VBIL and SPAXX.

Drawdown Indicators

	VBIL	SPAXX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-0.09%	0.00%	-0.09%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.09%	0.00%	-0.09%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	0.00%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	0.00%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.01%	0.00%	+0.01%

Volatility

VBIL vs. SPAXX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL) is 0.06%, while Fidelity Government Money Market Fund (SPAXX) has a volatility of 0.28%. This indicates that VBIL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SPAXX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VBIL	SPAXX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.06%	0.28%	-0.22%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	0.16%	0.72%	-0.56%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.26%	1.03%	-0.77%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	0.30%	0.69%	-0.39%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	0.30%	0.69%	-0.39%

VBIL vs. SPAXX - Expense Ratio Comparison

VBIL has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than SPAXX's 0.42% expense ratio.

Dividends

VBIL vs. SPAXX - Dividend Comparison

VBIL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.65%, more than SPAXX's 3.59% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023
SPAXX Fidelity Government Money Market Fund	3.59%	3.88%	1.53%	0.41%
VBIL Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF	3.65%	3.12%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VBIL and SPAXX in my portfolio?

VBIL and SPAXX have a correlation of 0.03, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VBIL or SPAXX?

SPAXX has higher volatility (0.28%) compared to VBIL (0.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VBIL dropped -0.09% vs SPAXX's 0.00%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VBIL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (15.14 vs 3.65), 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.