VGEK.DE vs. DBX8.DE

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VGEK.DE (Vanguard FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan UCITS ETF (USD) Accumulating) and DBX8.DE (Xtrackers MSCI Korea UCITS ETF 1C) are both Asia Pacific Equities funds - VGEK.DE tracks the FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan while DBX8.DE tracks the MSCI Korea 20/35 Custom. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VGEK.DE returned 12.83%/yr vs 19.70%/yr for DBX8.DE. Their correlation of 0.83 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VGEK.DE charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.45%/yr for DBX8.DE.

Performance

VGEK.DE vs. DBX8.DE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a €10,000 investment in Vanguard FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan UCITS ETF (USD) Accumulating (VGEK.DE) and Xtrackers MSCI Korea UCITS ETF 1C (DBX8.DE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VGEK.DE achieves a 49.52% return, which is significantly lower than DBX8.DE's 109.21% return.

VGEK.DE

• 1D: -3.21%
• 1M: 6.68%
• YTD: 49.52%
• 6M: 54.00%
• 1Y: 77.62%
• 3Y*: 24.83%
• 5Y*: 12.83%
• 10Y*: —

DBX8.DE

• 1D: -5.08%
• 1M: 11.65%
• YTD: 109.21%
• 6M: 122.15%
• 1Y: 217.95%
• 3Y*: 45.04%
• 5Y*: 19.70%
• 10Y*: 16.74%

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

VGEK.DE vs. DBX8.DE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
VGEK.DE Vanguard FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan UCITS ETF (USD) Accumulating	49.52%	25.03%	1.02%	6.43%	-7.37%	9.39%	8.22%	6.27%
DBX8.DE Xtrackers MSCI Korea UCITS ETF 1C	109.21%	77.39%	-18.45%	15.93%	-23.95%	-0.54%	30.13%	11.37%

Correlation

The correlation between VGEK.DE and DBX8.DE is 0.87, 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	0.87
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.81
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.81
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 27, 2019	0.83

The correlation between VGEK.DE and DBX8.DE has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.81 to 0.87 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

VGEK.DE vs. DBX8.DE — Risk / Return Rank

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

VGEK.DE

VGEK.DE Risk / Return Rank: 93
VGEK.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
VGEK.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
VGEK.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 94
VGEK.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 92
VGEK.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 93

DBX8.DE

DBX8.DE Risk / Return Rank: 96
DBX8.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
DBX8.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
DBX8.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 96
DBX8.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
DBX8.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 95

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.

VGEK.DE vs. DBX8.DE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan UCITS ETF (USD) Accumulating (VGEK.DE) and Xtrackers MSCI Korea UCITS ETF 1C (DBX8.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.

	VGEK.DE	DBX8.DE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.77	5.17	-1.40
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.68	5.03	-0.36
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.66	1.75	-0.09
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	6.17	10.67	-4.49
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	24.03	32.63	-8.60
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VGEK.DE vs. DBX8.DE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VGEK.DE Sharpe Ratio is 3.77, which is comparable to the DBX8.DE Sharpe Ratio of 5.17. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VGEK.DE and DBX8.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

	VGEK.DE	DBX8.DE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.77	5.17	-1.40
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.76	0.72	+0.05
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.66	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.69	0.31	+0.38

Drawdowns

VGEK.DE vs. DBX8.DE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VGEK.DE drawdown since its inception was -36.64%, smaller than the maximum DBX8.DE drawdown of -68.01%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGEK.DE and DBX8.DE.

Drawdown Indicators

	VGEK.DE	DBX8.DE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-36.64%	-68.01%	+31.37%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.88%	-21.19%	+8.31%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.68%	-30.70%	+11.02%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-19.68%	-41.29%	+21.61%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-41.89%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.76%	-5.82%	+2.06%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.08%	-17.55%	+11.47%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.32%	6.94%	-3.62%

Volatility

VGEK.DE vs. DBX8.DE - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan UCITS ETF (USD) Accumulating (VGEK.DE) is 10.20%, while Xtrackers MSCI Korea UCITS ETF 1C (DBX8.DE) has a volatility of 17.08%. This indicates that VGEK.DE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DBX8.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VGEK.DE	DBX8.DE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.20%	17.08%	-6.88%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	18.52%	33.48%	-14.96%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	21.09%	43.73%	-22.64%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.60%	27.53%	-10.93%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.60%	26.03%	-6.43%

VGEK.DE vs. DBX8.DE - Expense Ratio Comparison

VGEK.DE has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than DBX8.DE's 0.45% expense ratio.

Dividends

VGEK.DE vs. DBX8.DE - Dividend Comparison

Neither VGEK.DE nor DBX8.DE has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VGEK.DE and DBX8.DE in my portfolio?

VGEK.DE and DBX8.DE have a correlation of 0.87, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VGEK.DE or DBX8.DE?

On fees, VGEK.DE is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VGEK.DE or DBX8.DE?

VGEK.DE is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.45% for DBX8.DE.

What is the main difference between VGEK.DE and DBX8.DE?

VGEK.DE tracks FTSE Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan, while DBX8.DE tracks MSCI Korea 20/35 Custom. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Xtrackers. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for VGEK.DE and 0.45% for DBX8.DE.