VFEA.DE vs. VGWL.DE

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VFEA.DE (Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Acc) and VGWL.DE (Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF Distributing) are both exchange-traded funds - VFEA.DE is a Emerging Markets Equities fund tracking the FTSE Emerging, while VGWL.DE is a Global Equities fund tracking the FTSE All-World. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VFEA.DE returned 5.93%/yr vs 12.28%/yr for VGWL.DE. A 0.71 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. Both charge a 0.22% expense ratio.

Performance

VFEA.DE vs. VGWL.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 UCITS ETF Distributing (VGWL.DE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with VFEA.DE having a 12.59% return and VGWL.DE slightly higher at 12.63%.

VFEA.DE

• 1D: -0.47%
• 1M: 2.09%
• YTD: 12.59%
• 6M: 13.26%
• 1Y: 26.84%
• 3Y*: 15.02%
• 5Y*: 5.93%
• 10Y*: —

VGWL.DE

• 1D: -0.24%
• 1M: 5.01%
• YTD: 12.63%
• 6M: 13.34%
• 1Y: 26.36%
• 3Y*: 17.85%
• 5Y*: 12.28%
• 10Y*: —

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

VFEA.DE vs. VGWL.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%
VGWL.DE Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF Distributing	12.63%	9.18%	24.40%	18.17%	-13.48%	28.60%	5.38%	6.89%

Correlation

The correlation between VFEA.DE and VGWL.DE is 0.78, 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	0.78
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.70
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.68
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 27, 2019	0.71

The correlation between VFEA.DE and VGWL.DE shifts across timeframes, from 0.68 (5 years) to 0.78 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

VFEA.DE vs. VGWL.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

VGWL.DE

VGWL.DE Risk / Return Rank: 76
VGWL.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
VGWL.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 73
VGWL.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 75
VGWL.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
VGWL.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. VGWL.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 UCITS ETF Distributing (VGWL.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	VGWL.DE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.82	2.32	-0.50
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.60	3.25	-0.65
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.44	-0.11
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.17	3.99	-0.83
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.71	16.38	-5.66
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. VGWL.DE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VFEA.DE Sharpe Ratio is 1.82, which is comparable to the VGWL.DE Sharpe Ratio of 2.32. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VFEA.DE and VGWL.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	VGWL.DE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.82	2.32	-0.50
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.37	0.88	-0.51
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.43	0.77	-0.34

Drawdowns

VFEA.DE vs. VGWL.DE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VFEA.DE drawdown since its inception was -30.51%, smaller than the maximum VGWL.DE drawdown of -33.40%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFEA.DE and VGWL.DE.

Drawdown Indicators

	VFEA.DE	VGWL.DE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-30.51%	-33.40%	+2.89%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.44%	-6.57%	-1.87%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.97%	-21.04%	+2.07%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-19.99%	-21.04%	+1.05%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.85%	-0.64%	-1.21%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.59%	-4.34%	-4.25%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.50%	1.61%	+0.89%

Volatility

VFEA.DE vs. VGWL.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 UCITS ETF Distributing (VGWL.DE) at 3.02%. This indicates that VFEA.DE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGWL.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VFEA.DE	VGWL.DE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.45%	3.02%	+2.43%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.82%	8.13%	+3.69%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.70%	11.29%	+3.41%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.69%	13.76%	+1.93%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.20%	15.51%	+2.69%

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

Both VFEA.DE and VGWL.DE have an expense ratio of 0.22%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

VFEA.DE vs. VGWL.DE - Dividend Comparison

VFEA.DE has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VGWL.DE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.24%.

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%
VGWL.DE Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF Distributing	1.24%	1.42%	1.48%	1.73%	2.09%	1.43%	1.56%	1.87%	2.26%	0.37%

Frequently Asked Questions

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

VFEA.DE and VGWL.DE have a correlation of 0.78, 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 VGWL.DE?

Both ETFs have the same 0.22% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

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

VFEA.DE and VGWL.DE have the same expense ratio: 0.22% per year.

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

VFEA.DE is categorized as Emerging Markets Equities, while VGWL.DE is Global Equities. VFEA.DE tracks FTSE Emerging, while VGWL.DE tracks FTSE All-World.