VCEB vs. GDGB.L

Last updated Jun 13, 2026

VCEB (Vanguard ESG U.S. Corporate Bond ETF) and GDGB.L (VanEck Gold Miners UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VCEB is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Barclays MSCI US Corp SRI Select Index, while GDGB.L is a Gold fund tracking the MarketVector Global Gold Miners Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VCEB returned 0.38%/yr vs 17.20%/yr for GDGB.L. At a 0.24 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VCEB charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.53%/yr for GDGB.L.

Performance

VCEB vs. GDGB.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard ESG U.S. Corporate Bond ETF (VCEB) and VanEck Gold Miners UCITS ETF (GDGB.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VCEB achieves a 0.56% return, which is significantly higher than GDGB.L's -7.35% return.

VCEB

• 1D: -0.07%
• 1M: 0.67%
• YTD: 0.56%
• 6M: 1.06%
• 1Y: 5.13%
• 3Y*: 5.34%
• 5Y*: 0.38%
• 10Y*: —

GDGB.L

• 1D: 5.31%
• 1M: -17.51%
• YTD: -7.35%
• 6M: -5.86%
• 1Y: 49.71%
• 3Y*: 38.28%
• 5Y*: 17.20%
• 10Y*: —

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

VCEB vs. GDGB.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
VCEB Vanguard ESG U.S. Corporate Bond ETF	0.56%	7.48%	2.23%	8.52%	-15.15%	-1.99%	2.45%
GDGB.L VanEck Gold Miners UCITS ETF	-7.35%	156.24%	9.38%	9.16%	-7.97%	-11.28%	-3.89%

Correlation

The correlation between VCEB and GDGB.L is 0.23, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.23
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.25
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.25
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 24, 2020	0.24

Return for Risk

VCEB vs. GDGB.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

VCEB

VCEB Risk / Return Rank: 35
VCEB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 35
VCEB Sortino Ratio Rank: 34
VCEB Omega Ratio Rank: 32
VCEB Calmar Ratio Rank: 38
VCEB Martin Ratio Rank: 36

GDGB.L

GDGB.L Risk / Return Rank: 35
GDGB.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 39
GDGB.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 36
GDGB.L Omega Ratio Rank: 36
GDGB.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
GDGB.L Martin Ratio Rank: 32

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.

VCEB vs. GDGB.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard ESG U.S. Corporate Bond ETF (VCEB) and VanEck Gold Miners UCITS ETF (GDGB.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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	VCEB	GDGB.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.11	1.11	0.00
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.64	1.60	+0.04
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.19	1.20	-0.01
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.65	1.41	+0.25
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.02	3.89	+1.13

VCEB vs. GDGB.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VCEB Sharpe Ratio is 1.11, which is comparable to the GDGB.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.11. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VCEB and GDGB.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.

Drawdowns

VCEB vs. GDGB.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VCEB drawdown since its inception was -21.60%, smaller than the maximum GDGB.L drawdown of -50.68%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCEB and GDGB.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	VCEB	GDGB.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-21.60%	-50.68%	+29.08%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.82%	-35.18%	+32.36%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-6.09%	-35.18%	+29.09%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-21.39%	-46.27%	+24.88%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.81%	-31.02%	+30.21%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.60%	-17.81%	+10.21%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.93%	12.73%	-11.80%

Volatility

VCEB vs. GDGB.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard ESG U.S. Corporate Bond ETF (VCEB) is 1.43%, while VanEck Gold Miners UCITS ETF (GDGB.L) has a volatility of 14.95%. This indicates that VCEB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GDGB.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VCEB	GDGB.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.43%	14.95%	-13.52%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.21%	36.15%	-32.94%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.22%	44.61%	-40.39%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.84%	35.73%	-28.89%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.65%	34.29%	-27.64%

VCEB vs. GDGB.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

VCEB has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than GDGB.L's 0.53% expense ratio.

Dividends

VCEB vs. GDGB.L - Dividend Comparison

VCEB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.64%, while GDGB.L has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
GDGB.L VanEck Gold Miners UCITS ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VCEB Vanguard ESG U.S. Corporate Bond ETF	4.64%	4.57%	4.47%	3.70%	2.84%	1.69%	0.43%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VCEB and GDGB.L in my portfolio?

VCEB and GDGB.L have a correlation of 0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VCEB or GDGB.L?

On fees, VCEB is cheaper at 0.12% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VCEB or GDGB.L?

VCEB is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.53% for GDGB.L.

What is the main difference between VCEB and GDGB.L?

VCEB is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while GDGB.L is Gold. VCEB tracks Bloomberg Barclays MSCI US Corp SRI Select Index, while GDGB.L tracks MarketVector Global Gold Miners Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and VanEck. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for VCEB and 0.53% for GDGB.L.