VBND vs. IUSB
VBND (Vident U.S. Bond Strategy ETF) and IUSB (iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF) are both Intermediate Core-Plus Bond funds - VBND tracks the Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy Index while IUSB tracks the Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VBND returned 1.60%/yr vs 1.96%/yr for IUSB. Their correlation of 0.80 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VBND charges 0.41%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for IUSB.
Performance
VBND vs. IUSB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VBND achieves a 0.55% return, which is significantly lower than IUSB's 0.60% return. Over the past 10 years, VBND has underperformed IUSB with an annualized return of 1.60%, while IUSB has yielded a comparatively higher 1.96% annualized return.
VBND
- 1D
- 0.11%
- 1M
- 0.49%
- YTD
- 0.55%
- 6M
- 1.02%
- 1Y
- 6.14%
- 3Y*
- 4.80%
- 5Y*
- 0.55%
- 10Y*
- 1.60%
IUSB
- 1D
- -0.02%
- 1M
- 0.18%
- YTD
- 0.60%
- 6M
- 0.66%
- 1Y
- 5.68%
- 3Y*
- 4.57%
- 5Y*
- 0.55%
- 10Y*
- 1.96%
VBND vs. IUSB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBND Vident U.S. Bond Strategy ETF | 0.55% | 7.31% | 1.26% | 8.16% | -14.18% | -0.43% | 5.37% | 9.50% | -0.96% | 3.15% |
IUSB iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF | 0.60% | 7.38% | 2.11% | 6.23% | -13.04% | -1.33% | 7.62% | 9.13% | -0.27% | 3.82% |
Correlation
The correlation between VBND and IUSB is 0.82, 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 | 0.82 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.89 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.91 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.84 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 17, 2014 | 0.80 |
The correlation between VBND and IUSB shifts across timeframes, from 0.80 (all time) to 0.91 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VBND vs. IUSB — Risk / Return Rank
VBND
IUSB
VBND vs. IUSB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vident U.S. Bond Strategy ETF (VBND) and iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF (IUSB). 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.
| VBND | IUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.41 | 1.58 | -0.16 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.14 | 2.36 | -0.22 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.28 | -0.04 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.01 | 2.13 | -0.12 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.43 | 6.52 | -1.09 |
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
| VBND | IUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.41 | 1.58 | -0.16 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.09 | 0.09 | 0.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.29 | 0.39 | -0.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.32 | 0.46 | -0.15 |
Drawdowns
VBND vs. IUSB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VBND drawdown since its inception was -18.97%, which is greater than IUSB's maximum drawdown of -17.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VBND and IUSB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VBND | IUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.97% | -17.90% | -1.07% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.82% | -2.53% | -0.29% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.60% | -5.82% | +1.22% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.97% | -17.87% | -1.10% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.97% | -17.90% | -1.07% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.71% | -1.15% | +0.44% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.21% | -3.59% | -0.62% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.05% | 0.83% | +0.22% |
Volatility
VBND vs. IUSB - Volatility Comparison
Vident U.S. Bond Strategy ETF (VBND) has a higher volatility of 1.51% compared to iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF (IUSB) at 1.27%. This indicates that VBND's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IUSB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VBND | IUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.51% | 1.27% | +0.24% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.94% | 2.64% | +0.30% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.39% | 3.62% | +0.77% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.12% | 5.79% | +0.33% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.45% | 5.04% | +0.41% |
VBND vs. IUSB - Expense Ratio Comparison
VBND has a 0.41% expense ratio, which is higher than IUSB's 0.06% expense ratio.
Dividends
VBND vs. IUSB - Dividend Comparison
VBND's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.22%, which matches IUSB's 4.22% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IUSB iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF | 4.22% | 4.17% | 4.04% | 3.46% | 2.53% | 1.74% | 2.68% | 3.04% | 2.98% | 2.56% | 2.60% | 1.95% |
VBND Vident U.S. Bond Strategy ETF | 4.22% | 4.22% | 4.41% | 3.88% | 2.55% | 1.56% | 1.98% | 3.14% | 2.82% | 2.00% | 3.12% | 1.49% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VBND and IUSB have a correlation of 0.82, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VBND has higher volatility (1.51%) compared to IUSB (1.27%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VBND dropped -18.97% vs IUSB's -17.90%.
On 10-year performance, IUSB leads with 1.96% vs 1.60% for VBND. On fees, IUSB is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, IUSB has been the lower-risk option at 1.27%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IUSB has performed better with a 1.96% return vs 1.60%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IUSB is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.41% for VBND.
VBND and IUSB have nearly identical dividend yields, around 4.22%.
VBND tracks Vident Core U.S. Bond Strategy Index, while IUSB tracks Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index. They also come from different issuers: Vident and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.41% for VBND and 0.06% for IUSB.
IUSB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.58 vs 1.41), 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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