VDCA.L vs. SPX5.L

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

VDCA.L (Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF USD Accumulation) and SPX5.L (SPDR S&P 500 UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VDCA.L is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Corporate - United States Dollar Index 1-3 Year, while SPX5.L is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VDCA.L returned 2.56%/yr vs 13.71%/yr for SPX5.L. At a 0.09 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. Both charge a 0.09% expense ratio.

Performance

VDCA.L vs. SPX5.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF USD Accumulation (VDCA.L) and SPDR S&P 500 UCITS ETF (SPX5.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

VDCA.L is traded in USD, while SPX5.L is traded in GBP. To make them comparable, the SPX5.L values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VDCA.L achieves a 0.77% return, which is significantly lower than SPX5.L's 10.22% return.

VDCA.L

• 1D: -0.10%
• 1M: 0.18%
• YTD: 0.77%
• 6M: 1.23%
• 1Y: 4.34%
• 3Y*: 5.27%
• 5Y*: 2.56%
• 10Y*: —

SPX5.L

• 1D: -0.54%
• 1M: 4.80%
• YTD: 10.22%
• 6M: 10.95%
• 1Y: 28.23%
• 3Y*: 22.35%
• 5Y*: 13.71%
• 10Y*: 15.42%

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

VDCA.L vs. SPX5.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
VDCA.L Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF USD Accumulation	0.77%	5.87%	5.54%	5.39%	-3.80%	-0.21%	3.56%	4.32%
SPX5.L SPDR S&P 500 UCITS ETF	10.22%	17.59%	25.34%	26.07%	-18.73%	29.78%	17.00%	18.83%

Correlation

The correlation between VDCA.L and SPX5.L is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.19
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.10
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.11
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 22, 2019	0.09

Return for Risk

VDCA.L vs. SPX5.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

VDCA.L

VDCA.L Risk / Return Rank: 89
VDCA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
VDCA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 91
VDCA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 89
VDCA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 89
VDCA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 90

SPX5.L

SPX5.L Risk / Return Rank: 81
SPX5.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
SPX5.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
SPX5.L Omega Ratio Rank: 84
SPX5.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
SPX5.L Martin Ratio Rank: 77

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.

VDCA.L vs. SPX5.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF USD Accumulation (VDCA.L) and SPDR S&P 500 UCITS ETF (SPX5.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.

	VDCA.L	SPX5.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.74	2.54	+0.19
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.35	3.65	+0.70
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.56	1.45	+0.11
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	5.33	3.25	+2.08
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	20.94	14.01	+6.93
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VDCA.L vs. SPX5.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VDCA.L Sharpe Ratio is 2.74, which is comparable to the SPX5.L Sharpe Ratio of 2.54. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VDCA.L and SPX5.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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VDCA.L	SPX5.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.74	2.54	+0.19
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.22	0.88	+0.33
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.96	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.83	0.94	-0.10

Drawdowns

VDCA.L vs. SPX5.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VDCA.L drawdown since its inception was -9.85%, smaller than the maximum SPX5.L drawdown of -33.47%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VDCA.L and SPX5.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	VDCA.L	SPX5.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-9.85%	-33.47%	+23.62%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.80%	-8.64%	+7.84%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-1.14%	-18.43%	+17.29%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-6.43%	-25.18%	+18.75%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.47%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.25%	-0.54%	+0.29%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.06%	-3.72%	+2.66%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.20%	2.01%	-1.81%

Volatility

VDCA.L vs. SPX5.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF USD Accumulation (VDCA.L) is 0.56%, while SPDR S&P 500 UCITS ETF (SPX5.L) has a volatility of 2.47%. This indicates that VDCA.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SPX5.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VDCA.L	SPX5.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.56%	2.47%	-1.91%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.10%	7.93%	-6.83%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.57%	11.10%	-9.53%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	2.11%	15.55%	-13.44%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.46%	16.06%	-12.60%

VDCA.L vs. SPX5.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both VDCA.L and SPX5.L have an expense ratio of 0.09%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

VDCA.L vs. SPX5.L - Dividend Comparison

VDCA.L has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SPX5.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.89%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SPX5.L SPDR S&P 500 UCITS ETF	0.89%	0.98%	1.04%	1.21%	1.39%	0.98%	1.40%	1.76%	1.71%	2.36%	1.49%	1.68%
VDCA.L Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF USD Accumulation	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VDCA.L and SPX5.L in my portfolio?

VDCA.L and SPX5.L have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VDCA.L or SPX5.L?

Both ETFs have the same 0.09% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VDCA.L or SPX5.L?

VDCA.L and SPX5.L have the same expense ratio: 0.09% per year.

What is the main difference between VDCA.L and SPX5.L?

VDCA.L is categorized as Short-Term Bond, while SPX5.L is S&P 500. VDCA.L tracks Bloomberg Global Aggregate Corporate - United States Dollar Index 1-3 Year, while SPX5.L tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and State Street.