VFEA.DE vs. PPFB.DE
VFEA.DE (Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Acc) and PPFB.DE (iShares Physical Gold ETC) are both exchange-traded funds - VFEA.DE is a Emerging Markets Equities fund tracking the FTSE Emerging, while PPFB.DE is a Precious Metals fund tracking the Gold. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, VFEA.DE returned 13.89%/yr vs 28.05%/yr for PPFB.DE. At a 0.16 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VFEA.DE charges 0.22%/yr vs 0.12%/yr for PPFB.DE.
Performance
VFEA.DE vs. PPFB.DE - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFEA.DE achieves a 11.91% return, which is significantly higher than PPFB.DE's 2.74% return.
VFEA.DE
- 1D
- 2.32%
- 1M
- 0.05%
- YTD
- 11.91%
- 6M
- 13.75%
- 1Y
- 25.97%
- 3Y*
- 13.89%
- 5Y*
- 5.81%
- 10Y*
- —
PPFB.DE
- 1D
- 0.61%
- 1M
- -4.13%
- YTD
- 2.74%
- 6M
- 5.47%
- 1Y
- 29.94%
- 3Y*
- 28.05%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
VFEA.DE vs. PPFB.DE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFEA.DE Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Acc | 11.91% | 11.25% | 19.29% | 3.32% | -10.71% | -3.51% |
PPFB.DE iShares Physical Gold ETC | 2.74% | 49.11% | 34.17% | 9.42% | 7.03% | 2.86% |
Correlation
The correlation between VFEA.DE and PPFB.DE is 0.29, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 16, 2021 | 0.16 |
The correlation between VFEA.DE and PPFB.DE shifts across timeframes, from 0.16 (all time) to 0.29 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VFEA.DE vs. PPFB.DE — Risk / Return Rank
VFEA.DE
PPFB.DE
VFEA.DE vs. PPFB.DE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Acc (VFEA.DE) and iShares Physical Gold ETC (PPFB.DE). 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.
| VFEA.DE | PPFB.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.34 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.65 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.26 | +0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.93 | 1.81 | +1.12 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.75 | 4.60 | +5.15 |
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Drawdowns
VFEA.DE vs. PPFB.DE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFEA.DE drawdown since its inception was -30.51%, which is greater than PPFB.DE's maximum drawdown of -16.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFEA.DE and PPFB.DE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFEA.DE | PPFB.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -30.51% | -16.60% | -13.91% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.44% | -16.60% | +8.16% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.97% | -16.60% | -2.37% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -19.98% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.45% | -15.00% | +12.55% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.74% | -4.42% | -4.32% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.54% | 6.55% | -4.01% |
Volatility
VFEA.DE vs. PPFB.DE - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Acc (VFEA.DE) has a higher volatility of 5.46% compared to iShares Physical Gold ETC (PPFB.DE) at 5.11%. This indicates that VFEA.DE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PPFB.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VFEA.DE | PPFB.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.46% | 5.11% | +0.35% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.32% | 20.18% | -7.86% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.12% | 23.12% | -8.00% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.77% | 16.13% | -0.36% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.51% | 16.13% | +2.38% |
VFEA.DE vs. PPFB.DE - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFEA.DE has a 0.22% expense ratio, which is higher than PPFB.DE's 0.12% 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
VFEA.DE vs. PPFB.DE - Dividend Comparison
Neither VFEA.DE nor PPFB.DE has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
VFEA.DE and PPFB.DE have a correlation of 0.29, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, PPFB.DE is cheaper at 0.12% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
PPFB.DE is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.22% for VFEA.DE.
VFEA.DE is categorized as Emerging Markets Equities, while PPFB.DE is Precious Metals. VFEA.DE tracks FTSE Emerging, while PPFB.DE tracks Gold. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.22% for VFEA.DE and 0.12% for PPFB.DE.
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