VFEA.L vs. ISDE.L

Last updated Jul 25, 2026

VFEA.L (Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD Accumulating) and ISDE.L (iShares MSCI EM Islamic UCITS ETF USD (Dist)) are both Emerging Markets Equities funds - VFEA.L tracks the FTSE Emerging Index while ISDE.L tracks the MSCI Emerging Markets Islamic Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VFEA.L returned 5.58%/yr vs 10.62%/yr for ISDE.L. Their correlation of 0.84 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VFEA.L charges 0.17%/yr vs 0.85%/yr for ISDE.L.

Performance

VFEA.L vs. ISDE.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD Accumulating (VFEA.L) and iShares MSCI EM Islamic UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (ISDE.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VFEA.L achieves a 7.87% return, which is significantly lower than ISDE.L's 40.56% return.

VFEA.L

• 1D: 0.27%
• 1M: -1.27%
• 6M: 2.80%
• YTD: 7.87%
• 1Y: 16.96%
• 3Y*: 14.95%
• 5Y*: 5.58%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 8.17%

ISDE.L

• 1D: -1.31%
• 1M: -11.16%
• 6M: 26.93%
• YTD: 40.56%
• 1Y: 66.68%
• 3Y*: 24.54%
• 5Y*: 10.62%
• 10Y*: 10.91%
• ALL TIME*: 3.20%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
ISDE.L iShares MSCI EM Islamic UCITS ETF USD (Dist)	$4.29M	$4.67M	$4.46M
VFEA.L Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD Accumulating	$1.71M	$1.76M	$2.44M

VFEA.L vs. ISDE.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
VFEA.L Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD Accumulating	7.87%	25.75%	12.39%	7.29%	-17.29%	-1.19%	15.18%	11.06%
ISDE.L iShares MSCI EM Islamic UCITS ETF USD (Dist)	40.56%	39.00%	-3.54%	14.04%	-22.75%	2.66%	22.18%	10.67%

Correlation

The correlation between VFEA.L and ISDE.L is 0.77, 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	0.77
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.78
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.81
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 24, 2019	0.84

The correlation between VFEA.L and ISDE.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.77 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

VFEA.L vs. ISDE.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

VFEA.L

VFEA.L Risk / Return Rank: 41
VFEA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 39
VFEA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 39
VFEA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 38
VFEA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 44
VFEA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 45

ISDE.L

ISDE.L Risk / Return Rank: 86
ISDE.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
ISDE.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
ISDE.L Omega Ratio Rank: 87
ISDE.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
ISDE.L Martin Ratio Rank: 84

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.L vs. ISDE.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD Accumulating (VFEA.L) and iShares MSCI EM Islamic UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (ISDE.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.

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.L	ISDE.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.98	2.20	-1.22
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.46	2.70	-1.24
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.18	1.39	-0.21
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.59	3.57	-1.98
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.07	11.87	-6.81

VFEA.L vs. ISDE.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VFEA.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.98, which is lower than the ISDE.L Sharpe Ratio of 2.20. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VFEA.L and ISDE.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.

Drawdowns

VFEA.L vs. ISDE.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VFEA.L drawdown since its inception was -36.03%, smaller than the maximum ISDE.L drawdown of -65.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFEA.L and ISDE.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	VFEA.L	ISDE.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-36.03%	-65.53%	+29.50%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.63%	-18.56%	+7.93%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.18%	-21.83%	+5.65%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-31.33%	-32.16%	+0.83%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-36.64%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.81%	-17.17%	+12.36%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.11%	-22.76%	+9.65%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.34%	5.60%	-2.26%

Volatility

VFEA.L vs. ISDE.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD Accumulating (VFEA.L) is 5.04%, while iShares MSCI EM Islamic UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (ISDE.L) has a volatility of 12.84%. This indicates that VFEA.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ISDE.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VFEA.L	ISDE.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.04%	12.84%	-7.80%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.92%	28.15%	-13.23%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.30%	30.21%	-12.91%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.83%	20.69%	-2.86%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.71%	20.41%	-0.70%

VFEA.L vs. ISDE.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

VFEA.L has a 0.17% expense ratio, which is lower than ISDE.L's 0.85% expense ratio.

Dividends

VFEA.L vs. ISDE.L - Dividend Comparison

VFEA.L has not paid dividends to shareholders, while ISDE.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.23%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ISDE.L iShares MSCI EM Islamic UCITS ETF USD (Dist)	1.23%	1.06%	2.51%	2.77%	2.10%	1.79%	0.98%	1.55%	1.64%	1.02%	1.07%	2.32%
VFEA.L Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD 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%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VFEA.L and ISDE.L in my portfolio?

VFEA.L and ISDE.L have a correlation of 0.77, 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.L or ISDE.L?

On fees, VFEA.L is cheaper at 0.17% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VFEA.L or ISDE.L?

VFEA.L is cheaper with a 0.17% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for ISDE.L.

What is the main difference between VFEA.L and ISDE.L?

VFEA.L tracks FTSE Emerging Index, while ISDE.L tracks MSCI Emerging Markets Islamic Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.17% for VFEA.L and 0.85% for ISDE.L.