VGVA.L vs. VUAA.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VGVA.L (Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Accumulating) and VUAA.L (Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation) are both exchange-traded funds - VGVA.L is a European Government Bonds fund tracking the FTSE Act UK Cnvt Gilts All Stocks TR GBP, 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, VGVA.L returned -5.33%/yr vs 14.93%/yr for VUAA.L. At a correlation of -0.04, they often move in opposite directions. Both charge a 0.07% expense ratio.

Performance

VGVA.L vs. VUAA.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Accumulating (VGVA.L) and Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation (VUAA.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

VGVA.L is traded in GBP, while VUAA.L is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the VUAA.L values have been converted to GBP using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VGVA.L achieves a -1.19% return, which is significantly lower than VUAA.L's 10.72% return.

VGVA.L

• 1D: 0.28%
• 1M: 1.61%
• YTD: -1.19%
• 6M: -1.36%
• 1Y: 2.14%
• 3Y*: 2.10%
• 5Y*: -5.33%
• 10Y*: —

VUAA.L

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 5.41%
• YTD: 10.72%
• 6M: 10.33%
• 1Y: 29.00%
• 3Y*: 19.08%
• 5Y*: 14.93%
• 10Y*: —

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

VGVA.L vs. VUAA.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
VGVA.L Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Accumulating	-1.19%	4.03%	-3.61%	3.26%	-27.03%	-5.38%	9.36%	4.38%
VUAA.L Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation	10.76%	9.01%	27.46%	20.35%	-8.96%	30.57%	14.21%	8.78%

Correlation

The correlation between VGVA.L and VUAA.L is 0.20, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.20
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.12
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.02
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 17, 2019	-0.04

The correlation between VGVA.L and VUAA.L shifts across timeframes, from -0.04 (all time) to 0.20 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

VGVA.L vs. VUAA.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

VGVA.L

VGVA.L Risk / Return Rank: 14
VGVA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 14
VGVA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 13
VGVA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 13
VGVA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 14
VGVA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 14

VUAA.L

VUAA.L Risk / Return Rank: 74
VUAA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
VUAA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
VUAA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 73
VUAA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
VUAA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 77

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.

VGVA.L vs. VUAA.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Accumulating (VGVA.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.

	VGVA.L	VUAA.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.33	2.42	-2.09
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.49	3.29	-2.80
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.06	1.45	-0.38
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.37	3.99	-3.62
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.00	13.50	-12.50
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

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

The current VGVA.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.33, which is lower than the VUAA.L Sharpe Ratio of 2.42. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VGVA.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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VGVA.L	VUAA.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.33	2.42	-2.09
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.47	0.97	-1.44
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.25	0.89	-1.14

Drawdowns

VGVA.L vs. VUAA.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VGVA.L drawdown since its inception was -39.28%, which is greater than VUAA.L's maximum drawdown of -26.15%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGVA.L and VUAA.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	VGVA.L	VUAA.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-39.28%	-26.15%	-13.13%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.75%	-7.23%	+1.48%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-7.88%	-21.12%	+13.24%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-37.05%	-21.12%	-15.93%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-31.00%	-0.28%	-30.72%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-19.93%	-3.69%	-16.24%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.13%	2.14%	-0.01%

Volatility

VGVA.L vs. VUAA.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF Accumulating (VGVA.L) is 2.79%, while Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation (VUAA.L) has a volatility of 3.52%. This indicates that VGVA.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VUAA.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VGVA.L	VUAA.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.79%	3.52%	-0.73%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.27%	8.64%	-3.37%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.53%	11.95%	-5.42%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.28%	15.41%	-4.13%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.86%	17.14%	-6.28%

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

Both VGVA.L and VUAA.L have an expense ratio of 0.07%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

VGVA.L vs. VUAA.L - Dividend Comparison

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

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

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

VGVA.L and VUAA.L have a correlation of 0.20, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VGVA.L or VUAA.L?

Both ETFs have the same 0.07% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VGVA.L or VUAA.L?

VGVA.L and VUAA.L have the same expense ratio: 0.07% per year.

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

VGVA.L is categorized as European Government Bonds, while VUAA.L is S&P 500. VGVA.L tracks FTSE Act UK Cnvt Gilts All Stocks TR GBP, while VUAA.L tracks S&P 500 Net Total Return.