VDU.TO vs. VEA

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VDU.TO (Vanguard FTSE Developed All Cap ex U.S. Index ETF) and VEA (Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VDU.TO is a Global Equities fund tracking the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index, while VEA is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VDU.TO returned 10.31%/yr vs 11.03%/yr for VEA. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VDU.TO charges 0.22%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VEA.

Performance

VDU.TO vs. VEA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Vanguard FTSE Developed All Cap ex U.S. Index ETF (VDU.TO) and Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

VDU.TO is traded in CAD, while VEA is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the VEA values have been converted to CAD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with VDU.TO having a 16.55% return and VEA slightly higher at 16.78%. Over the past 10 years, VDU.TO has underperformed VEA with an annualized return of 10.31%, while VEA has yielded a comparatively higher 11.03% annualized return.

VDU.TO

• 1D: 0.29%
• 1M: 6.07%
• YTD: 16.55%
• 6M: 17.23%
• 1Y: 33.32%
• 3Y*: 20.65%
• 5Y*: 12.05%
• 10Y*: 10.31%

VEA

• 1D: 0.34%
• 1M: 6.37%
• YTD: 16.78%
• 6M: 17.72%
• 1Y: 34.36%
• 3Y*: 21.48%
• 5Y*: 12.81%
• 10Y*: 11.03%

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

VDU.TO vs. VEA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VDU.TO Vanguard FTSE Developed All Cap ex U.S. Index ETF	16.55%	27.97%	11.37%	14.56%	-9.89%	10.23%	7.06%	15.90%	-8.11%	17.64%
VEA Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF	16.78%	28.97%	12.01%	15.33%	-9.31%	10.65%	7.86%	16.59%	-7.52%	18.37%

Correlation

The correlation between VDU.TO and VEA is 0.94, 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	0.94
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.95
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.95
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.94
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 13, 2013	0.88

The correlation between VDU.TO and VEA has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.88 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.

VDU.TO vs. VEA - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VDU.TO	VEA
Financial Services	23.3%	23.3%
Industrials	19.2%	19.2%
Technology	13.8%	13.8%
Healthcare	8.2%	8.2%
Basic Materials	7.5%	7.5%
Consumer Cyclical	7.5%	7.5%
Consumer Defensive	5.6%	5.6%
Energy	5.4%	5.4%
Communication Services	3.4%	3.4%
Utilities	3.3%	3.3%
Real Estate	2.7%	2.7%

Return for Risk

VDU.TO vs. VEA — Risk / Return Rank

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

VDU.TO

VDU.TO Risk / Return Rank: 68
VDU.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
VDU.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
VDU.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 71
VDU.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
VDU.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 67

VEA

VEA Risk / Return Rank: 61
VEA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
VEA Sortino Ratio Rank: 62
VEA Omega Ratio Rank: 63
VEA Calmar Ratio Rank: 57
VEA Martin Ratio Rank: 61

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.

VDU.TO vs. VEA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE Developed All Cap ex U.S. Index ETF (VDU.TO) and Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA). 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.

	VDU.TO	VEA	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.28	2.37	-0.09
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.14	3.25	-0.12
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.44	-0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.92	3.04	-0.12
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.07	12.49	-0.43
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VDU.TO vs. VEA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VDU.TO Sharpe Ratio is 2.28, which is comparable to the VEA Sharpe Ratio of 2.37. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VDU.TO and VEA, 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

	VDU.TO	VEA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.28	2.37	-0.09
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.90	0.95	-0.05
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.70	0.76	-0.06
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.70	0.68	+0.02

Drawdowns

VDU.TO vs. VEA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VDU.TO drawdown since its inception was -29.19%, roughly equal to the maximum VEA drawdown of -28.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VDU.TO and VEA.

Drawdown Indicators

	VDU.TO	VEA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-29.19%	-28.96%	-0.23%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.47%	-11.37%	-0.10%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.02%	-13.82%	-0.20%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.10%	-23.54%	-0.56%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-29.19%	-28.96%	-0.23%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.16%	-0.15%	-0.01%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.66%	-4.89%	+0.23%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.77%	2.76%	+0.01%

Volatility

VDU.TO vs. VEA - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard FTSE Developed All Cap ex U.S. Index ETF (VDU.TO) and Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) have volatilities of 5.02% and 5.27%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VDU.TO	VEA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.02%	5.27%	-0.25%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.47%	12.55%	-0.08%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.66%	14.56%	+0.10%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.50%	13.52%	-0.02%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.75%	14.56%	+0.19%

VDU.TO vs. VEA - Expense Ratio Comparison

VDU.TO has a 0.22% expense ratio, which is higher than VEA's 0.03% 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

VDU.TO vs. VEA - Dividend Comparison

VDU.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.09%, less than VEA's 2.61% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VDU.TO Vanguard FTSE Developed All Cap ex U.S. Index ETF	2.09%	2.61%	2.55%	2.54%	2.14%	2.67%	1.64%	2.48%	2.61%	2.26%	2.41%	2.25%
VEA Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF	2.61%	3.22%	3.35%	3.15%	2.91%	3.16%	2.04%	3.04%	3.35%	2.77%	3.05%	2.92%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VDU.TO and VEA in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.94, VDU.TO and VEA move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which ETF is better, VDU.TO or VEA?

On fees, VEA is cheaper at 0.03% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VDU.TO or VEA?

VEA is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.22% for VDU.TO.

What is the main difference between VDU.TO and VEA?

VDU.TO is categorized as Global Equities, while VEA is Foreign Large Cap Equities. Both ETFs track FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index. Their fees differ too: 0.22% for VDU.TO and 0.03% for VEA.