VGVT vs. GOVT

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF (VGVT) and iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT).

VGVT and GOVT are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VGVT is an actively managed fund by Vanguard. It was launched on Jul 7, 2025. GOVT is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Barclays Capital U.S. Treasury Bond Index. It was launched on Feb 14, 2012.

Performance

VGVT vs. GOVT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF (VGVT) and iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

VGVT vs. GOVT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
VGVT Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF	0.12%	3.28%
GOVT iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF	0.08%	2.78%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VGVT achieves a 0.12% return, which is significantly higher than GOVT's 0.08% return.

VGVT

• 1D: 0.21%
• 1M: -1.74%
• YTD: 0.12%
• 6M: 1.37%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

GOVT

• 1D: 0.09%
• 1M: -1.70%
• YTD: 0.08%
• 6M: 0.83%
• 1Y: 3.24%
• 3Y*: 2.55%
• 5Y*: -0.24%
• 10Y*: 0.96%

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

VGVT vs. GOVT - Expense Ratio Comparison

VGVT has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is lower than GOVT's 0.15% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

GOVT

iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF

VGVT

Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF

Return for Risk

VGVT vs. GOVT — Risk / Return Rank

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

GOVT

GOVT Risk / Return Rank: 45
GOVT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 47
GOVT Sortino Ratio Rank: 45
GOVT Omega Ratio Rank: 36
GOVT Calmar Ratio Rank: 58
GOVT Martin Ratio Rank: 40

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.

VGVT vs. GOVT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF (VGVT) and iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT). 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.

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VGVT	GOVT	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	—	0.80	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	-0.04	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.18	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.45	0.27	+1.18

Correlation

The correlation between VGVT and GOVT is 0.92, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

VGVT vs. GOVT - Dividend Comparison

VGVT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.95%, less than GOVT's 3.53% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VGVT Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF	2.95%	2.29%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
GOVT iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF	3.53%	3.49%	3.14%	2.65%	1.77%	0.96%	2.17%	1.98%	1.97%	1.57%	1.40%	1.25%

Drawdowns

VGVT vs. GOVT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VGVT drawdown since its inception was -2.42%, smaller than the maximum GOVT drawdown of -19.07%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGVT and GOVT.

Drawdown Indicators

	VGVT	GOVT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-2.42%	-19.07%	+16.65%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-2.58%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-16.60%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-19.07%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.74%	-7.00%	+5.26%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.42%	-5.23%	+4.81%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	1.00%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	VGVT	GOVT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	1.45%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	2.45%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.27%	4.06%	-0.79%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.27%	6.03%	-2.76%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.27%	5.23%	-1.96%