VGEM.DE vs. XUEB.DE

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VGEM.DE (Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Distributing) and XUEB.DE (Xtrackers II USD Emerging Markets Bond UCITS ETF 2C) are both Emerging Markets Bonds funds - VGEM.DE tracks the Bloomberg EM USD Sovereign + Quasi-Sov while XUEB.DE tracks the JPM EMBI Global Diversified TR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VGEM.DE returned 2.73%/yr vs 2.85%/yr for XUEB.DE. Their correlation of 0.91 suggests significant overlap in exposure. Both charge a 0.25% expense ratio.

Performance

VGEM.DE vs. XUEB.DE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a €10,000 investment in Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Distributing (VGEM.DE) and Xtrackers II USD Emerging Markets Bond UCITS ETF 2C (XUEB.DE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VGEM.DE achieves a 2.34% return, which is significantly lower than XUEB.DE's 3.66% return.

VGEM.DE

• 1D: 0.20%
• 1M: 1.24%
• YTD: 2.34%
• 6M: 1.63%
• 1Y: 6.72%
• 3Y*: 5.24%
• 5Y*: 2.73%
• 10Y*: —

XUEB.DE

• 1D: -0.10%
• 1M: 1.69%
• YTD: 3.66%
• 6M: 3.38%
• 1Y: 10.40%
• 3Y*: 7.25%
• 5Y*: 2.85%
• 10Y*: —

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

VGEM.DE vs. XUEB.DE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
VGEM.DE Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Distributing	2.34%	-1.55%	12.06%	5.25%	-10.22%	5.82%	-2.43%
XUEB.DE Xtrackers II USD Emerging Markets Bond UCITS ETF 2C	3.66%	1.23%	11.99%	7.34%	-14.37%	5.65%	-0.25%

Correlation

The correlation between VGEM.DE and XUEB.DE is 0.90, 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	0.90
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.91
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.91
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 25, 2020	0.91

The correlation between VGEM.DE and XUEB.DE has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.91 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

VGEM.DE vs. XUEB.DE — Risk / Return Rank

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

VGEM.DE

VGEM.DE Risk / Return Rank: 35
VGEM.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 32
VGEM.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 31
VGEM.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 31
VGEM.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 44
VGEM.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 38

XUEB.DE

XUEB.DE Risk / Return Rank: 59
XUEB.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 52
XUEB.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
XUEB.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 54
XUEB.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 77
XUEB.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 62

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.

VGEM.DE vs. XUEB.DE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Distributing (VGEM.DE) and Xtrackers II USD Emerging Markets Bond UCITS ETF 2C (XUEB.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.

	VGEM.DE	XUEB.DE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.13	1.75	-0.62
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.65	2.56	-0.90
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.21	1.33	-0.12
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.16	3.83	-1.67
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.71	10.83	-5.12
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VGEM.DE vs. XUEB.DE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VGEM.DE Sharpe Ratio is 1.13, which is lower than the XUEB.DE Sharpe Ratio of 1.75. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VGEM.DE and XUEB.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

	VGEM.DE	XUEB.DE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.13	1.75	-0.62
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.34	0.32	+0.02
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.29	0.25	+0.04

Drawdowns

VGEM.DE vs. XUEB.DE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VGEM.DE drawdown since its inception was -19.64%, which is greater than XUEB.DE's maximum drawdown of -17.41%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGEM.DE and XUEB.DE.

Drawdown Indicators

	VGEM.DE	XUEB.DE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-19.64%	-17.41%	-2.23%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.10%	-2.70%	-0.40%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-11.98%	-13.41%	+1.43%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-12.46%	-17.41%	+4.95%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.18%	-0.40%	-1.78%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.63%	-6.25%	-0.38%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.17%	0.96%	+0.21%

Volatility

VGEM.DE vs. XUEB.DE - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Distributing (VGEM.DE) is 1.18%, while Xtrackers II USD Emerging Markets Bond UCITS ETF 2C (XUEB.DE) has a volatility of 1.29%. This indicates that VGEM.DE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XUEB.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VGEM.DE	XUEB.DE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.18%	1.29%	-0.11%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.96%	3.95%	+0.01%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.93%	5.93%	0.00%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.89%	8.74%	-0.85%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	8.77%	8.56%	+0.21%

VGEM.DE vs. XUEB.DE - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both VGEM.DE and XUEB.DE have an expense ratio of 0.25%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

VGEM.DE vs. XUEB.DE - Dividend Comparison

VGEM.DE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.06%, while XUEB.DE has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VGEM.DE Vanguard USD Emerging Markets Government Bond UCITS ETF Distributing	5.06%	5.60%	5.23%	5.14%	4.84%	3.16%	3.99%	3.87%	3.84%	0.68%
XUEB.DE Xtrackers II USD Emerging Markets Bond UCITS ETF 2C	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 VGEM.DE and XUEB.DE in my portfolio?

VGEM.DE and XUEB.DE have a correlation of 0.90, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VGEM.DE or XUEB.DE?

Both ETFs have the same 0.25% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VGEM.DE or XUEB.DE?

VGEM.DE and XUEB.DE have the same expense ratio: 0.25% per year.

What is the main difference between VGEM.DE and XUEB.DE?

VGEM.DE tracks Bloomberg EM USD Sovereign + Quasi-Sov, while XUEB.DE tracks JPM EMBI Global Diversified TR USD. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Xtrackers.