VGK vs. DFEN.DE
VGK (Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF) and DFEN.DE (VanEck Defense UCITS ETF A) are both exchange-traded funds - VGK is a Europe Equities fund tracking the FTSE Developed Europe All Cap Index, while DFEN.DE is a Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the MarketVector Global Defense Industry Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, VGK returned 16.69%/yr vs 40.64%/yr for DFEN.DE. At a 0.38 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VGK charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.55%/yr for DFEN.DE.
Performance
VGK vs. DFEN.DE - Performance Comparison
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Different Trading Currencies
VGK is traded in USD, while DFEN.DE is traded in EUR. To make them comparable, the DFEN.DE values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGK achieves a 7.69% return, which is significantly higher than DFEN.DE's 1.46% return.
VGK
- 1D
- 0.18%
- 1M
- 2.46%
- YTD
- 7.69%
- 6M
- 9.92%
- 1Y
- 19.73%
- 3Y*
- 16.69%
- 5Y*
- 8.50%
- 10Y*
- 10.28%
DFEN.DE
- 1D
- 0.49%
- 1M
- 0.01%
- YTD
- 1.46%
- 6M
- 2.92%
- 1Y
- 12.04%
- 3Y*
- 40.64%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
VGK vs. DFEN.DE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
VGK Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF | 7.69% | 35.83% | 1.88% | 8.13% |
DFEN.DE VanEck Defense UCITS ETF A | 1.46% | 70.20% | 43.28% | 24.17% |
Correlation
The correlation between VGK and DFEN.DE is 0.31, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 5, 2023 | 0.38 |
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Return for Risk
VGK vs. DFEN.DE — Risk / Return Rank
VGK
DFEN.DE
VGK vs. DFEN.DE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF (VGK) and VanEck Defense UCITS ETF A (DFEN.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.
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.
| VGK | DFEN.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.59 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.72 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 1.11 | +0.09 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.49 | 0.71 | +0.78 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.52 | 1.73 | +3.78 |
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Drawdowns
VGK vs. DFEN.DE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGK drawdown since its inception was -63.61%, which is greater than DFEN.DE's maximum drawdown of -19.59%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGK and DFEN.DE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VGK | DFEN.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -63.61% | -19.59% | -44.02% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.09% | -19.59% | +7.50% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.31% | -19.59% | +5.28% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -32.74% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -37.24% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.50% | -16.58% | +16.08% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.33% | -3.51% | -9.82% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.27% | 8.02% | -4.75% |
Volatility
VGK vs. DFEN.DE - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF (VGK) is 5.82%, while VanEck Defense UCITS ETF A (DFEN.DE) has a volatility of 7.93%. This indicates that VGK experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DFEN.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VGK | DFEN.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.82% | 7.93% | -2.11% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.36% | 19.89% | -6.53% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.92% | 25.41% | -9.49% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.98% | 21.76% | -3.78% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.95% | 21.76% | -2.81% |
VGK vs. DFEN.DE - Expense Ratio Comparison
VGK has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than DFEN.DE's 0.55% expense ratio.
Dividends
VGK vs. DFEN.DE - Dividend Comparison
VGK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.76%, while DFEN.DE has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFEN.DE VanEck Defense UCITS ETF A | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VGK Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF | 2.76% | 2.86% | 3.61% | 3.15% | 3.25% | 3.05% | 2.11% | 3.27% | 3.95% | 2.70% | 3.52% | 3.25% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VGK and DFEN.DE have a correlation of 0.31, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, VGK is cheaper at 0.06% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
VGK is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.55% for DFEN.DE.
VGK is categorized as Europe Equities, while DFEN.DE is Aerospace & Defense. VGK tracks FTSE Developed Europe All Cap Index, while DFEN.DE tracks MarketVector Global Defense Industry Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and VanEck. Their fees differ too: 0.06% for VGK and 0.55% for DFEN.DE.
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