VEA vs. FGDL
VEA (Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF) and FGDL (Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VEA is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index, while FGDL is a Precious Metals fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt). Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, VEA returned 19.03%/yr vs 29.18%/yr for FGDL. At a 0.38 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VEA charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for FGDL.
Performance
VEA vs. FGDL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VEA achieves a 14.73% return, which is significantly higher than FGDL's -2.81% return.
VEA
- 1D
- 0.34%
- 1M
- 1.40%
- YTD
- 14.73%
- 6M
- 16.65%
- 1Y
- 31.41%
- 3Y*
- 19.03%
- 5Y*
- 9.51%
- 10Y*
- 10.72%
FGDL
- 1D
- -0.20%
- 1M
- -9.80%
- YTD
- -2.81%
- 6M
- -2.54%
- 1Y
- 22.12%
- 3Y*
- 29.18%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
VEA vs. FGDL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VEA Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF | 14.73% | 35.16% | 3.15% | 17.93% | 3.80% |
FGDL Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF | -2.81% | 64.15% | 27.31% | 12.92% | 0.72% |
Correlation
The correlation between VEA and FGDL is 0.41, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 30, 2022 | 0.38 |
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Return for Risk
VEA vs. FGDL — Risk / Return Rank
VEA
FGDL
VEA vs. FGDL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) and Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF (FGDL). 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.
| VEA | FGDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.93 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.27 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.18 | +0.15 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.58 | 0.97 | +1.60 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.92 | 2.78 | +7.14 |
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Drawdowns
VEA vs. FGDL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VEA drawdown since its inception was -60.68%, which is greater than FGDL's maximum drawdown of -24.73%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VEA and FGDL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VEA | FGDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -60.68% | -24.73% | -35.95% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.63% | -24.73% | +13.10% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.45% | -24.73% | +11.28% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.71% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.73% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.06% | -22.35% | +21.29% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.28% | -3.97% | -9.31% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.02% | 8.64% | -5.62% |
Volatility
VEA vs. FGDL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) is 6.84%, while Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF (FGDL) has a volatility of 8.01%. This indicates that VEA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FGDL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VEA | FGDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.84% | 8.01% | -1.17% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.38% | 24.16% | -9.78% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 16.58% | 27.60% | -11.02% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.72% | 19.27% | -2.55% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.40% | 19.27% | -1.87% |
VEA vs. FGDL - Expense Ratio Comparison
VEA has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than FGDL's 0.15% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VEA vs. FGDL - Dividend Comparison
VEA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.62%, while FGDL has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FGDL Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VEA Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF | 2.62% | 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
VEA and FGDL have a correlation of 0.41, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FGDL has higher volatility (8.01%) compared to VEA (6.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VEA dropped -60.68% vs FGDL's -24.73%.
On 3-year performance, FGDL leads with 29.18% vs 19.03% for VEA. On fees, VEA is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VEA has been the lower-risk option at 6.84%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, FGDL has performed better with a 29.18% return vs 19.03%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VEA is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for FGDL.
VEA has the higher dividend yield at 2.62%, compared with 0.00% for FGDL.
VEA is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while FGDL is Precious Metals. VEA tracks FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index, while FGDL tracks LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt). They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Franklin Templeton. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for VEA and 0.15% for FGDL.
VEA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.81 vs 0.87), 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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