VFEM.DE vs. AW12.DE

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VFEM.DE (Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing) and AW12.DE (UBS ETF (IE) MSCI Emerging Markets Climate Paris Aligned UCITS ETF (USD) Acc) are both Emerging Markets Equities funds - VFEM.DE tracks the MSCI EM NR USD while AW12.DE tracks the MSCI Emerging Markets Climate Paris Aligned. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, VFEM.DE returned 15.05%/yr vs 18.73%/yr for AW12.DE. Their correlation of 0.92 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VFEM.DE charges 0.22%/yr vs 0.16%/yr for AW12.DE.

Performance

VFEM.DE vs. AW12.DE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a €10,000 investment in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing (VFEM.DE) and UBS ETF (IE) MSCI Emerging Markets Climate Paris Aligned UCITS ETF (USD) Acc (AW12.DE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VFEM.DE achieves a 12.66% return, which is significantly lower than AW12.DE's 24.98% return.

VFEM.DE

• 1D: -0.53%
• 1M: 2.23%
• YTD: 12.66%
• 6M: 13.06%
• 1Y: 26.52%
• 3Y*: 15.05%
• 5Y*: 6.01%
• 10Y*: —

AW12.DE

• 1D: -1.17%
• 1M: 4.69%
• YTD: 24.98%
• 6M: 27.25%
• 1Y: 46.00%
• 3Y*: 18.73%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

VFEM.DE vs. AW12.DE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
VFEM.DE Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing	12.66%	11.40%	19.82%	3.29%	-11.02%	-0.42%
AW12.DE UBS ETF (IE) MSCI Emerging Markets Climate Paris Aligned UCITS ETF (USD) Acc	24.98%	18.87%	12.31%	3.30%	-15.75%	-1.31%

Correlation

The correlation between VFEM.DE and AW12.DE is 0.92, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.92
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.92
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 10, 2021	0.92

The correlation between VFEM.DE and AW12.DE has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.92 to 0.92 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

VFEM.DE vs. AW12.DE — Risk / Return Rank

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

VFEM.DE

VFEM.DE Risk / Return Rank: 57
VFEM.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 53
VFEM.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
VFEM.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 52
VFEM.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 64
VFEM.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 59

AW12.DE

AW12.DE Risk / Return Rank: 80
AW12.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 79
AW12.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 77
AW12.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 79
AW12.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 85
AW12.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.

VFEM.DE vs. AW12.DE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing (VFEM.DE) and UBS ETF (IE) MSCI Emerging Markets Climate Paris Aligned UCITS ETF (USD) Acc (AW12.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.

	VFEM.DE	AW12.DE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.80	2.52	-0.72
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.57	3.40	-0.83
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.32	1.46	-0.14
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.11	4.61	-1.50
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.36	16.28	-5.91
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VFEM.DE vs. AW12.DE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VFEM.DE Sharpe Ratio is 1.80, which is comparable to the AW12.DE Sharpe Ratio of 2.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VFEM.DE and AW12.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

	VFEM.DE	AW12.DE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.80	2.52	-0.72
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.37	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.36	0.43	-0.07

Drawdowns

VFEM.DE vs. AW12.DE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VFEM.DE drawdown since its inception was -31.59%, which is greater than AW12.DE's maximum drawdown of -24.09%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFEM.DE and AW12.DE.

Drawdown Indicators

	VFEM.DE	AW12.DE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-31.59%	-24.09%	-7.50%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.49%	-9.94%	+1.45%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.56%	-18.93%	+0.37%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.11%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.73%	-2.26%	+0.53%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.24%	-9.89%	+1.65%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.55%	2.82%	-0.27%

Volatility

VFEM.DE vs. AW12.DE - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing (VFEM.DE) is 5.44%, while UBS ETF (IE) MSCI Emerging Markets Climate Paris Aligned UCITS ETF (USD) Acc (AW12.DE) has a volatility of 7.44%. This indicates that VFEM.DE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AW12.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VFEM.DE	AW12.DE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.44%	7.44%	-2.00%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.70%	14.88%	-3.18%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.69%	18.18%	-3.49%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.93%	17.92%	-1.99%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.20%	17.92%	+0.28%

VFEM.DE vs. AW12.DE - Expense Ratio Comparison

VFEM.DE has a 0.22% expense ratio, which is higher than AW12.DE's 0.16% 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

VFEM.DE vs. AW12.DE - Dividend Comparison

VFEM.DE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.04%, while AW12.DE has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
AW12.DE UBS ETF (IE) MSCI Emerging Markets Climate Paris Aligned UCITS ETF (USD) Acc	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VFEM.DE Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing	2.04%	2.39%	2.28%	2.66%	3.38%	2.26%	1.93%	2.32%	2.79%	0.20%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VFEM.DE and AW12.DE in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.92, VFEM.DE and AW12.DE move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which ETF is better, VFEM.DE or AW12.DE?

On fees, AW12.DE is cheaper at 0.16% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VFEM.DE or AW12.DE?

AW12.DE is cheaper with a 0.16% expense ratio, compared with 0.22% for VFEM.DE.

What is the main difference between VFEM.DE and AW12.DE?

VFEM.DE tracks MSCI EM NR USD, while AW12.DE tracks MSCI Emerging Markets Climate Paris Aligned. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and UBS. Their fees differ too: 0.22% for VFEM.DE and 0.16% for AW12.DE.