VFEA.DE vs. VGWD.DE

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VFEA.DE (Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Acc) and VGWD.DE (Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield UCITS ETF USD Distributing) are both exchange-traded funds - VFEA.DE is a Emerging Markets Equities fund tracking the FTSE Emerging, while VGWD.DE is a Global Equities fund tracking the FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VFEA.DE returned 5.93%/yr vs 11.49%/yr for VGWD.DE. A 0.64 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VFEA.DE charges 0.22%/yr vs 0.29%/yr for VGWD.DE.

Performance

VFEA.DE vs. VGWD.DE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a €10,000 investment in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Acc (VFEA.DE) and Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield UCITS ETF USD Distributing (VGWD.DE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with VFEA.DE having a 12.59% return and VGWD.DE slightly lower at 12.49%.

VFEA.DE

• 1D: -0.47%
• 1M: 0.37%
• YTD: 12.59%
• 6M: 12.22%
• 1Y: 25.81%
• 3Y*: 15.02%
• 5Y*: 5.93%
• 10Y*: —

VGWD.DE

• 1D: 0.19%
• 1M: 2.31%
• YTD: 12.49%
• 6M: 13.87%
• 1Y: 25.22%
• 3Y*: 15.87%
• 5Y*: 11.49%
• 10Y*: —

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

VFEA.DE vs. VGWD.DE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
VFEA.DE Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Acc	12.59%	11.25%	19.29%	3.31%	-10.70%	6.34%	3.46%	9.82%
VGWD.DE Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield UCITS ETF USD Distributing	12.49%	13.16%	15.75%	7.29%	0.08%	27.90%	-9.60%	6.27%

Correlation

The correlation between VFEA.DE and VGWD.DE is 0.60, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.60
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.62
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.61
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 27, 2019	0.64

The correlation between VFEA.DE and VGWD.DE has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.60 to 0.64 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

VFEA.DE vs. VGWD.DE — Risk / Return Rank

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

VFEA.DE

VFEA.DE Risk / Return Rank: 58
VFEA.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 54
VFEA.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
VFEA.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 53
VFEA.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 65
VFEA.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 61

VGWD.DE

VGWD.DE Risk / Return Rank: 83
VGWD.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
VGWD.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
VGWD.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 84
VGWD.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
VGWD.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 82

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.

VFEA.DE vs. VGWD.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 Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield UCITS ETF USD Distributing (VGWD.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.

	VFEA.DE	VGWD.DE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.82	2.70	-0.88
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.60	3.78	-1.18
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.50	-0.18
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.17	4.28	-1.11
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.71	16.37	-5.65
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VFEA.DE vs. VGWD.DE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VFEA.DE Sharpe Ratio is 1.82, which is lower than the VGWD.DE Sharpe Ratio of 2.70. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VFEA.DE and VGWD.DE, 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

	VFEA.DE	VGWD.DE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.82	2.70	-0.88
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.37	0.99	-0.61
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.43	0.64	-0.21

Drawdowns

VFEA.DE vs. VGWD.DE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VFEA.DE drawdown since its inception was -30.51%, smaller than the maximum VGWD.DE drawdown of -34.57%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFEA.DE and VGWD.DE.

Drawdown Indicators

	VFEA.DE	VGWD.DE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-30.51%	-34.57%	+4.06%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.44%	-5.82%	-2.62%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.97%	-16.86%	-2.11%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-19.99%	-16.86%	-3.13%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.85%	-0.32%	-1.53%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.59%	-4.05%	-4.54%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.50%	1.52%	+0.98%

Volatility

VFEA.DE vs. VGWD.DE - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Acc (VFEA.DE) has a higher volatility of 5.45% compared to Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield UCITS ETF USD Distributing (VGWD.DE) at 2.33%. This indicates that VFEA.DE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGWD.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VFEA.DE	VGWD.DE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.45%	2.33%	+3.12%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.82%	6.95%	+4.87%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.70%	9.21%	+5.49%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.69%	11.52%	+4.17%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.20%	14.23%	+3.97%

VFEA.DE vs. VGWD.DE - Expense Ratio Comparison

VFEA.DE has a 0.22% expense ratio, which is lower than VGWD.DE's 0.29% expense ratio.

Dividends

VFEA.DE vs. VGWD.DE - Dividend Comparison

VFEA.DE has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VGWD.DE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.49%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VFEA.DE Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Acc	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VGWD.DE Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield UCITS ETF USD Distributing	2.49%	2.84%	3.05%	3.39%	3.78%	3.03%	3.08%	3.21%	3.70%	0.58%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VFEA.DE and VGWD.DE in my portfolio?

VFEA.DE and VGWD.DE have a correlation of 0.60, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VFEA.DE or VGWD.DE?

On fees, VFEA.DE is cheaper at 0.22% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VFEA.DE or VGWD.DE?

VFEA.DE is cheaper with a 0.22% expense ratio, compared with 0.29% for VGWD.DE.

What is the main difference between VFEA.DE and VGWD.DE?

VFEA.DE is categorized as Emerging Markets Equities, while VGWD.DE is Global Equities. VFEA.DE tracks FTSE Emerging, while VGWD.DE tracks FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield index. Their fees differ too: 0.22% for VFEA.DE and 0.29% for VGWD.DE.