VJPA.DE vs. XNKY.DE

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VJPA.DE (Vanguard FTSE Japan UCITS ETF Accumulating) and XNKY.DE (Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF) are both Japan Equities funds - VJPA.DE tracks the FTSE Japan while XNKY.DE tracks the Nikkei 225®. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VJPA.DE returned 9.95%/yr vs 12.43%/yr for XNKY.DE. Their correlation of 0.90 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VJPA.DE charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for XNKY.DE.

Performance

VJPA.DE vs. XNKY.DE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a €10,000 investment in Vanguard FTSE Japan UCITS ETF Accumulating (VJPA.DE) and Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF (XNKY.DE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VJPA.DE achieves a 16.61% return, which is significantly lower than XNKY.DE's 32.35% return.

VJPA.DE

• 1D: -0.22%
• 1M: 6.10%
• YTD: 16.61%
• 6M: 16.85%
• 1Y: 30.62%
• 3Y*: 15.52%
• 5Y*: 9.95%
• 10Y*: —

XNKY.DE

• 1D: -1.43%
• 1M: 10.63%
• YTD: 32.35%
• 6M: 30.33%
• 1Y: 59.90%
• 3Y*: 20.83%
• 5Y*: 12.43%
• 10Y*: —

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

VJPA.DE vs. XNKY.DE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
VJPA.DE Vanguard FTSE Japan UCITS ETF Accumulating	16.61%	13.28%	13.06%	15.86%	-11.63%	3.39%
XNKY.DE Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF	32.35%	16.16%	14.34%	18.03%	-15.35%	-2.16%

Correlation

The correlation between VJPA.DE and XNKY.DE is 0.84, 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	0.84
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.88
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.90
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 14, 2021	0.90

The correlation between VJPA.DE and XNKY.DE has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.84 to 0.90 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

VJPA.DE vs. XNKY.DE — Risk / Return Rank

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

VJPA.DE

VJPA.DE Risk / Return Rank: 55
VJPA.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 49
VJPA.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
VJPA.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 53
VJPA.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 63
VJPA.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 59

XNKY.DE

XNKY.DE Risk / Return Rank: 79
XNKY.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 79
XNKY.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
XNKY.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 72
XNKY.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 85
XNKY.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 74

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.

VJPA.DE vs. XNKY.DE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE Japan UCITS ETF Accumulating (VJPA.DE) and Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF (XNKY.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.

	VJPA.DE	XNKY.DE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.68	2.53	-0.85
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.53	3.63	-1.10
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.32	1.42	-0.10
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.09	4.59	-1.49
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.36	13.91	-3.55
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VJPA.DE vs. XNKY.DE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VJPA.DE Sharpe Ratio is 1.68, which is lower than the XNKY.DE Sharpe Ratio of 2.53. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VJPA.DE and XNKY.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

	VJPA.DE	XNKY.DE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.68	2.53	-0.85
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.61	0.66	-0.05
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.57	0.74	-0.17

Drawdowns

VJPA.DE vs. XNKY.DE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VJPA.DE drawdown since its inception was -18.92%, smaller than the maximum XNKY.DE drawdown of -21.47%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VJPA.DE and XNKY.DE.

Drawdown Indicators

	VJPA.DE	XNKY.DE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.92%	-21.47%	+2.55%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.85%	-12.99%	+3.14%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.01%	-20.16%	+4.15%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.92%	-21.15%	+2.23%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.22%	-1.43%	+1.21%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.81%	-7.84%	+2.03%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.95%	4.29%	-1.34%

Volatility

VJPA.DE vs. XNKY.DE - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard FTSE Japan UCITS ETF Accumulating (VJPA.DE) is 3.34%, while Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF (XNKY.DE) has a volatility of 6.59%. This indicates that VJPA.DE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XNKY.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VJPA.DE	XNKY.DE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.34%	6.59%	-3.25%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.61%	18.61%	-4.00%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.16%	23.59%	-5.43%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.16%	18.57%	-2.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.16%	18.42%	-2.26%

VJPA.DE vs. XNKY.DE - Expense Ratio Comparison

VJPA.DE has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than XNKY.DE's 0.09% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

VJPA.DE vs. XNKY.DE - Dividend Comparison

Neither VJPA.DE nor XNKY.DE has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VJPA.DE and XNKY.DE in my portfolio?

VJPA.DE and XNKY.DE have a correlation of 0.84, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VJPA.DE or XNKY.DE?

On fees, XNKY.DE is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VJPA.DE or XNKY.DE?

XNKY.DE is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for VJPA.DE.

What is the main difference between VJPA.DE and XNKY.DE?

VJPA.DE tracks FTSE Japan, while XNKY.DE tracks Nikkei 225®. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Xtrackers. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for VJPA.DE and 0.09% for XNKY.DE.