VFEA.L vs. VUAA.L

Last updated Jul 25, 2026

VFEA.L (Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD Accumulating) and VUAA.L (Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation) are both exchange-traded funds - VFEA.L is a Emerging Markets Equities fund tracking the FTSE Emerging Index, while VUAA.L is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Net Total Return. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VFEA.L returned 5.58%/yr vs 12.38%/yr for VUAA.L. A 0.64 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VFEA.L charges 0.17%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for VUAA.L.

Performance

VFEA.L vs. VUAA.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 Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation (VUAA.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 VUAA.L's 8.59% 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%

VUAA.L

• 1D: 0.78%
• 1M: 0.38%
• 6M: 8.10%
• YTD: 8.59%
• 1Y: 17.95%
• 3Y*: 18.99%
• 5Y*: 12.38%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 15.87%

*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)
VFEA.L Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD Accumulating	$1.71M	$1.76M	$2.44M
VUAA.L Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation	$27.07M	$32.28M	$27.56M

VFEA.L vs. VUAA.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%
VUAA.L Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation	8.59%	17.37%	25.27%	26.68%	-18.63%	29.34%	18.04%	8.12%

Correlation

The correlation between VFEA.L and VUAA.L is 0.70, 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	0.70
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.61
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.63
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 24, 2019	0.64

The correlation between VFEA.L and VUAA.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.61 to 0.70 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

VFEA.L vs. VUAA.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

VUAA.L

VUAA.L Risk / Return Rank: 65
VUAA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 64
VUAA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
VUAA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 62
VUAA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 63
VUAA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 71

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. VUAA.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 Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation (VUAA.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	VUAA.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.98	1.47	-0.49
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.46	2.21	-0.74
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.18	1.26	-0.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.59	2.19	-0.60
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.07	8.72	-3.66

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

The current VFEA.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.98, which is lower than the VUAA.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.47. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VFEA.L and VUAA.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. VUAA.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VFEA.L drawdown since its inception was -36.03%, which is greater than VUAA.L's maximum drawdown of -34.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFEA.L and VUAA.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	VFEA.L	VUAA.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-36.03%	-34.05%	-1.98%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.63%	-8.18%	-2.45%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.18%	-18.39%	+2.21%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-31.33%	-24.36%	-6.97%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.81%	-2.10%	-2.71%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.11%	-5.01%	-8.10%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.34%	2.05%	+1.29%

Volatility

VFEA.L vs. VUAA.L - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD Accumulating (VFEA.L) has a higher volatility of 5.04% compared to Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation (VUAA.L) at 3.18%. This indicates that VFEA.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VUAA.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VFEA.L	VUAA.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.04%	3.18%	+1.86%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.92%	9.39%	+5.53%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.30%	12.17%	+5.13%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.83%	16.05%	+1.78%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.71%	17.68%	+2.03%

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

VFEA.L has a 0.17% expense ratio, which is higher than VUAA.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

VFEA.L vs. VUAA.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither VFEA.L nor VUAA.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
VFEA.L Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD Accumulating	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VUAA.L Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.27%

Frequently Asked Questions

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

VFEA.L and VUAA.L have a correlation of 0.70, 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 VUAA.L?

On fees, VUAA.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, VFEA.L or VUAA.L?

VUAA.L is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.17% for VFEA.L.

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

VFEA.L is categorized as Emerging Markets Equities, while VUAA.L is S&P 500. VFEA.L tracks FTSE Emerging Index, while VUAA.L tracks S&P 500 Net Total Return. Their fees differ too: 0.17% for VFEA.L and 0.07% for VUAA.L.