VDTA.L vs. VCLT

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VDTA.L (Vanguard USD Treasury Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating) and VCLT (Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VDTA.L is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Global Aggregate US Treasury Float Adjusted index, while VCLT is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Barclays U.S. 10+ Year Corporate Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VDTA.L returned -0.41%/yr vs -1.73%/yr for VCLT. A 0.62 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VDTA.L charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VCLT.

Performance

VDTA.L vs. VCLT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard USD Treasury Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating (VDTA.L) and Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCLT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VDTA.L achieves a -0.23% return, which is significantly lower than VCLT's 1.27% return.

VDTA.L

• 1D: 0.21%
• 1M: 0.17%
• YTD: -0.23%
• 6M: 0.10%
• 1Y: 3.61%
• 3Y*: 2.87%
• 5Y*: -0.41%
• 10Y*: —

VCLT

• 1D: 0.28%
• 1M: 1.13%
• YTD: 1.27%
• 6M: 0.48%
• 1Y: 6.83%
• 3Y*: 4.56%
• 5Y*: -1.73%
• 10Y*: 2.37%

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

VDTA.L vs. VCLT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
VDTA.L Vanguard USD Treasury Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating	-0.23%	6.25%	0.93%	3.71%	-12.37%	-2.33%	7.64%	6.63%
VCLT Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF	1.27%	7.18%	-1.90%	11.17%	-25.50%	-1.73%	13.27%	19.68%

Correlation

The correlation between VDTA.L and VCLT is 0.70, 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	0.70
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.70
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.66
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 22, 2019	0.62

The correlation between VDTA.L and VCLT has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.62 to 0.70 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

VDTA.L vs. VCLT — Risk / Return Rank

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

VDTA.L

VDTA.L Risk / Return Rank: 28
VDTA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 29
VDTA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 29
VDTA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 27
VDTA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 26
VDTA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 28

VCLT

VCLT Risk / Return Rank: 25
VCLT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 25
VCLT Sortino Ratio Rank: 25
VCLT Omega Ratio Rank: 24
VCLT Calmar Ratio Rank: 28
VCLT Martin Ratio Rank: 25

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.

VDTA.L vs. VCLT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard USD Treasury Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating (VDTA.L) and Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCLT). 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.

	VDTA.L	VCLT	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.02	0.87	+0.15
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.51	1.28	+0.24
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.18	1.15	+0.03
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.23	1.31	-0.07
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.80	3.21	+0.59
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VDTA.L vs. VCLT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VDTA.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.02, which is comparable to the VCLT Sharpe Ratio of 0.87. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VDTA.L and VCLT, 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

	VDTA.L	VCLT	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.02	0.87	+0.15
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.07	-0.14	+0.06
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.19	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.22	0.40	-0.17

Drawdowns

VDTA.L vs. VCLT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VDTA.L drawdown since its inception was -18.82%, smaller than the maximum VCLT drawdown of -34.31%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VDTA.L and VCLT.

Drawdown Indicators

	VDTA.L	VCLT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.82%	-34.31%	+15.49%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.90%	-5.25%	+2.35%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-5.15%	-13.03%	+7.88%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.41%	-34.31%	+17.90%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-34.31%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.97%	-14.12%	+7.15%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.11%	-8.16%	+0.05%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.94%	2.13%	-1.19%

Volatility

VDTA.L vs. VCLT - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard USD Treasury Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating (VDTA.L) is 1.37%, while Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCLT) has a volatility of 2.25%. This indicates that VDTA.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VCLT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VDTA.L	VCLT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.37%	2.25%	-0.88%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.55%	5.75%	-3.20%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.51%	7.93%	-4.42%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	5.57%	12.77%	-7.20%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	5.35%	12.84%	-7.49%

VDTA.L vs. VCLT - Expense Ratio Comparison

VDTA.L has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is higher than VCLT's 0.04% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

VDTA.L vs. VCLT - Dividend Comparison

VDTA.L has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VCLT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.53%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VCLT Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF	5.53%	5.51%	5.19%	4.67%	4.44%	3.07%	3.16%	3.81%	4.55%	4.01%	4.33%	4.68%
VDTA.L Vanguard USD Treasury Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating	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 VDTA.L and VCLT in my portfolio?

VDTA.L and VCLT have a correlation of 0.70, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VDTA.L or VCLT?

On fees, VCLT is cheaper at 0.04% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VDTA.L or VCLT?

VCLT is cheaper with a 0.04% expense ratio, compared with 0.05% for VDTA.L.

What is the main difference between VDTA.L and VCLT?

VDTA.L is categorized as Government Bonds, while VCLT is Corporate Bonds. VDTA.L tracks Bloomberg Global Aggregate US Treasury Float Adjusted index, while VCLT tracks Barclays U.S. 10+ Year Corporate Index. Their fees differ too: 0.05% for VDTA.L and 0.04% for VCLT.