VEA vs. LTCN
VEA (Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF) and LTCN (Grayscale Litecoin Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - VEA is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index, while LTCN is a Cryptocurrency fund tracking the CoinDesk Litecoin Price Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VEA returned 9.09%/yr vs -56.75%/yr for LTCN. At a 0.30 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VEA charges 0.03%/yr vs 2.50%/yr for LTCN.
Performance
VEA vs. LTCN - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VEA achieves a 12.02% return, which is significantly higher than LTCN's -43.96% return.
VEA
- 1D
- 1.00%
- 1M
- -1.37%
- YTD
- 12.02%
- 6M
- 14.95%
- 1Y
- 28.06%
- 3Y*
- 18.65%
- 5Y*
- 9.09%
- 10Y*
- 10.14%
LTCN
- 1D
- 4.81%
- 1M
- -24.48%
- YTD
- -43.96%
- 6M
- -51.98%
- 1Y
- -52.19%
- 3Y*
- -6.26%
- 5Y*
- -56.75%
- 10Y*
- —
VEA vs. LTCN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VEA Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF | 12.02% | 35.16% | 3.15% | 17.93% | -15.34% | 11.66% | 14.03% |
LTCN Grayscale Litecoin Trust | -43.96% | -54.37% | -18.79% | 650.00% | -77.17% | -96.84% | 731.43% |
Correlation
The correlation between VEA and LTCN is 0.33, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.32 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 18, 2020 | 0.30 |
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Return for Risk
VEA vs. LTCN — Risk / Return Rank
VEA
LTCN
VEA vs. LTCN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) and Grayscale Litecoin Trust (LTCN). 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.
| VEA | LTCN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.50 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.41 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 0.89 | +0.43 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.42 | -0.73 | +3.15 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.39 | -1.20 | +10.58 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VEA | LTCN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.75 | -0.75 | +2.50 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.55 | -0.54 | +1.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.59 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.24 | -0.20 | +0.44 |
Drawdowns
VEA vs. LTCN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VEA drawdown since its inception was -60.68%, smaller than the maximum LTCN drawdown of -99.58%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VEA and LTCN.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VEA | LTCN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -60.68% | -99.58% | +38.90% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.63% | -71.62% | +59.99% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.45% | -93.36% | +79.91% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.71% | -98.89% | +69.18% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.73% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.40% | -99.35% | +95.95% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.29% | -89.63% | +76.34% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.00% | 43.63% | -40.63% |
Volatility
VEA vs. LTCN - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) is 6.03%, while Grayscale Litecoin Trust (LTCN) has a volatility of 14.56%. This indicates that VEA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than LTCN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VEA | LTCN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.03% | 14.56% | -8.53% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.91% | 41.57% | -27.66% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 16.15% | 70.10% | -53.95% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.63% | 106.33% | -89.70% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.40% | 141.32% | -123.92% |
VEA vs. LTCN - Expense Ratio Comparison
VEA has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than LTCN's 2.50% expense ratio.
Dividends
VEA vs. LTCN - Dividend Comparison
VEA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.69%, while LTCN has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LTCN Grayscale Litecoin Trust | 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 | 2.69% | 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 LTCN have a correlation of 0.33, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
LTCN has higher volatility (14.56%) compared to VEA (6.03%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VEA dropped -60.68% vs LTCN's -99.58%.
On 5-year performance, VEA leads with 9.09% vs -56.75% for LTCN. On fees, VEA is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VEA has been the lower-risk option at 6.03%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, VEA has performed better with a 9.09% return vs -56.75%. 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 2.50% for LTCN.
VEA has the higher dividend yield at 2.69%, compared with 0.00% for LTCN.
VEA is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while LTCN is Cryptocurrency. VEA tracks FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index, while LTCN tracks CoinDesk Litecoin Price Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Grayscale. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for VEA and 2.50% for LTCN.
VEA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.75 vs -0.75), 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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