VEA vs. SPDW

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) and SPDR Portfolio World ex-US ETF (SPDW).

VEA and SPDW are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VEA is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index. It was launched on Jul 20, 2007. SPDW is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P Developed Ex-U.S. BMI Index. It was launched on Apr 26, 2007. Both VEA and SPDW are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

VEA vs. SPDW - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) and SPDR Portfolio World ex-US ETF (SPDW). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

VEA vs. SPDW - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VEA Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF	2.75%	35.16%	3.15%	17.93%	-15.34%	11.66%	9.71%	22.62%	-14.75%	26.42%
SPDW SPDR Portfolio World ex-US ETF	2.79%	34.75%	3.55%	17.81%	-15.98%	11.45%	9.90%	22.41%	-14.22%	25.81%

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with VEA having a 2.75% return and SPDW slightly higher at 2.79%. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VEA having a 9.37% annualized return and SPDW not far behind at 9.30%.

VEA

• 1D: 3.30%
• 1M: -8.61%
• YTD: 2.75%
• 6M: 8.94%
• 1Y: 30.06%
• 3Y*: 16.07%
• 5Y*: 8.57%
• 10Y*: 9.37%

SPDW

• 1D: 3.30%
• 1M: -8.46%
• YTD: 2.79%
• 6M: 8.61%
• 1Y: 29.84%
• 3Y*: 16.03%
• 5Y*: 8.28%
• 10Y*: 9.30%

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

VEA vs. SPDW - Expense Ratio Comparison

VEA has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than SPDW's 0.04% 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%.

SPDW

SPDR Portfolio World ex-US ETF

VEA

Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF

Return for Risk

VEA vs. SPDW — Risk / Return Rank

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

VEA

VEA Risk / Return Rank: 87
VEA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 87
VEA Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
VEA Omega Ratio Rank: 88
VEA Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
VEA Martin Ratio Rank: 87

SPDW

SPDW Risk / Return Rank: 87
SPDW Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
SPDW Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
SPDW Omega Ratio Rank: 87
SPDW Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
SPDW Martin Ratio Rank: 87

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.

VEA vs. SPDW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) and SPDR Portfolio World ex-US ETF (SPDW). 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	SPDW	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.72	1.71	+0.01
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.35	2.34	+0.01
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.35	1.34	0.00
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.50	2.49	+0.01
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	9.82	9.76	+0.05
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VEA vs. SPDW - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VEA Sharpe Ratio is 1.72, which is comparable to the SPDW Sharpe Ratio of 1.71. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VEA and SPDW, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VEA	SPDW	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.72	1.71	+0.01
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.53	0.51	+0.02
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.54	0.54	0.00
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.22	0.21	+0.01

Correlation

The correlation between VEA and SPDW is 0.95, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

VEA vs. SPDW - Dividend Comparison

VEA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.93%, less than SPDW's 3.21% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VEA Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF	2.93%	3.22%	3.35%	3.15%	2.91%	3.16%	2.04%	3.04%	3.35%	2.77%	3.05%	2.92%
SPDW SPDR Portfolio World ex-US ETF	3.21%	3.30%	3.19%	2.75%	3.12%	3.04%	1.87%	3.13%	3.08%	1.86%	3.11%	2.78%

Drawdowns

VEA vs. SPDW - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VEA drawdown since its inception was -60.68%, roughly equal to the maximum SPDW drawdown of -60.02%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VEA and SPDW.

Drawdown Indicators

	VEA	SPDW	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-60.68%	-60.02%	-0.66%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.63%	-11.55%	-0.08%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-29.71%	-30.21%	+0.50%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-35.73%	-34.98%	-0.75%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.71%	-8.63%	-0.08%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.40%	-13.01%	-0.39%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.96%	2.94%	+0.02%

Volatility

VEA vs. SPDW - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) and SPDR Portfolio World ex-US ETF (SPDW) have volatilities of 8.41% and 8.31%, 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

	VEA	SPDW	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.41%	8.31%	+0.10%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.57%	11.51%	+0.06%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.62%	17.57%	+0.05%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.30%	16.26%	+0.04%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.26%	17.15%	+0.11%