VEMA.L vs. VUSA.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VEMA.L (Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating) and VUSA.L (Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VEMA.L is a Emerging Markets Bonds fund tracking the JPM EMBI Global Diversified TR USD, while VUSA.L is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VEMA.L returned 3.45%/yr vs 14.94%/yr for VUSA.L. At a 0.41 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VEMA.L charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for VUSA.L.

Performance

VEMA.L vs. VUSA.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating (VEMA.L) and Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VEMA.L achieves a 1.66% return, which is significantly lower than VUSA.L's 10.52% return.

VEMA.L

• 1D: 0.22%
• 1M: 1.94%
• YTD: 1.66%
• 6M: 1.43%
• 1Y: 10.75%
• 3Y*: 6.06%
• 5Y*: 3.45%
• 10Y*: —

VUSA.L

• 1D: 0.03%
• 1M: 5.52%
• YTD: 10.52%
• 6M: 10.48%
• 1Y: 29.10%
• 3Y*: 19.01%
• 5Y*: 14.94%
• 10Y*: 16.07%

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

VEMA.L vs. VUSA.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
VEMA.L Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating	1.66%	4.15%	8.11%	3.45%	-5.29%	-0.35%	2.49%	8.03%
VUSA.L Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF	10.52%	9.39%	27.33%	19.81%	-9.02%	30.98%	13.66%	16.56%

Correlation

The correlation between VEMA.L and VUSA.L is 0.42, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.42
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.41
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.36
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 22, 2019	0.41

Return for Risk

VEMA.L vs. VUSA.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

VEMA.L

VEMA.L Risk / Return Rank: 52
VEMA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
VEMA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
VEMA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 54
VEMA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 50
VEMA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 43

VUSA.L

VUSA.L Risk / Return Rank: 82
VUSA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
VUSA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
VUSA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 85
VUSA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 80
VUSA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 78

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.

VEMA.L vs. VUSA.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating (VEMA.L) and Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA.L). 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.

	VEMA.L	VUSA.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.83	2.74	-0.91
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.76	3.68	-0.92
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.51	-0.19
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.44	4.08	-1.64
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	6.67	15.02	-8.35
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VEMA.L vs. VUSA.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VEMA.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.83, which is lower than the VUSA.L Sharpe Ratio of 2.74. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VEMA.L and VUSA.L, 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

	VEMA.L	VUSA.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.83	2.74	-0.91
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.42	1.04	-0.62
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	1.03	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.31	1.06	-0.75

Drawdowns

VEMA.L vs. VUSA.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VEMA.L drawdown since its inception was -14.59%, smaller than the maximum VUSA.L drawdown of -25.47%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VEMA.L and VUSA.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	VEMA.L	VUSA.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-14.59%	-25.47%	+10.88%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.39%	-7.11%	+2.72%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-8.38%	-20.94%	+12.56%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-11.41%	-20.94%	+9.53%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-25.47%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.45%	-0.23%	-0.22%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.28%	-3.19%	-3.09%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.61%	1.93%	-0.32%

Volatility

VEMA.L vs. VUSA.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating (VEMA.L) is 1.47%, while Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA.L) has a volatility of 2.63%. This indicates that VEMA.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VUSA.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VEMA.L	VUSA.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.47%	2.63%	-1.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.07%	7.12%	-3.05%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.85%	10.58%	-4.73%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	8.14%	14.29%	-6.15%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	9.49%	15.64%	-6.15%

VEMA.L vs. VUSA.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

VEMA.L has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than VUSA.L's 0.07% 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

VEMA.L vs. VUSA.L - Dividend Comparison

VEMA.L has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VUSA.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.87%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VEMA.L Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government 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%
VUSA.L Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF	0.87%	0.95%	1.00%	1.24%	1.41%	1.04%	1.44%	1.50%	1.72%	1.61%	1.58%	1.73%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VEMA.L and VUSA.L in my portfolio?

VEMA.L and VUSA.L have a correlation of 0.42, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VEMA.L or VUSA.L?

On fees, VUSA.L is cheaper at 0.07% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VEMA.L or VUSA.L?

VUSA.L is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for VEMA.L.

What is the main difference between VEMA.L and VUSA.L?

VEMA.L is categorized as Emerging Markets Bonds, while VUSA.L is S&P 500. VEMA.L tracks JPM EMBI Global Diversified TR USD, while VUSA.L tracks S&P 500 Index. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for VEMA.L and 0.07% for VUSA.L.