VMRXX vs. IEFA

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

VMRXX (Vanguard Cash Reserves Federal Money Market Fund Admiral Shares) and IEFA (iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF) are both funds - VMRXX is a Money Market fund actively managed by Vanguard, while IEFA is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI EAFE IMI Index (Net). VMRXX is actively managed, while IEFA is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VMRXX returned 2.76%/yr vs 7.82%/yr for IEFA. At a correlation of -0.02, they often move in opposite directions. VMRXX charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for IEFA.

Performance

VMRXX vs. IEFA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Cash Reserves Federal Money Market Fund Admiral Shares (VMRXX) and iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VMRXX achieves a 1.50% return, which is significantly lower than IEFA's 7.49% return.

VMRXX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.30%
• YTD: 1.50%
• 6M: 1.83%
• 1Y: 3.96%
• 3Y*: 3.96%
• 5Y*: 2.76%
• 10Y*: —

IEFA

• 1D: 0.63%
• 1M: -1.17%
• YTD: 7.49%
• 6M: 10.04%
• 1Y: 19.61%
• 3Y*: 16.13%
• 5Y*: 7.82%
• 10Y*: 9.37%

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

VMRXX vs. IEFA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
VMRXX Vanguard Cash Reserves Federal Money Market Fund Admiral Shares	1.50%	4.25%	3.45%	4.65%	0.00%	0.01%
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF	7.49%	32.08%	3.26%	17.95%	-15.24%	0.85%

Correlation

The correlation between VMRXX and IEFA is -0.02, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.02
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.03
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.02
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 26, 2021	-0.02

VMRXX vs. IEFA - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VMRXX	IEFA
Financial Services	17.8%	22.5%
Basic Materials	-	7.0%
Communication Services	-	4.4%
Consumer Cyclical	-	8.0%
Consumer Defensive	-	6.6%
Energy	-	3.8%
Healthcare	-	9.5%
Industrials	-	20.1%
Real Estate	-	3.0%
Technology	-	10.8%
Utilities	-	3.6%

Return for Risk

VMRXX vs. IEFA — Risk / Return Rank

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

IEFA

IEFA Risk / Return Rank: 40
IEFA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 41
IEFA Sortino Ratio Rank: 40
IEFA Omega Ratio Rank: 40
IEFA Calmar Ratio Rank: 38
IEFA Martin Ratio Rank: 43

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.

VMRXX vs. IEFA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Cash Reserves Federal Money Market Fund Admiral Shares (VMRXX) and iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA). 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.

	VMRXX	IEFA	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.67	1.30	+2.38
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	—	1.88	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	—	1.24	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	—	1.71	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	—	6.52	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VMRXX vs. IEFA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VMRXX Sharpe Ratio is 3.67, which is higher than the IEFA Sharpe Ratio of 1.30. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VMRXX and IEFA, 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

	VMRXX	IEFA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.67	1.30	+2.38
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	2.77	0.47	+2.30
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.54	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	2.76	0.50	+2.26

Drawdowns

VMRXX vs. IEFA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VMRXX drawdown since its inception was 0.00%, smaller than the maximum IEFA drawdown of -34.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VMRXX and IEFA.

Drawdown Indicators

	VMRXX	IEFA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	0.00%	-34.78%	+34.78%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	0.00%	-11.50%	+11.50%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	0.00%	-13.76%	+13.76%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	0.00%	-30.41%	+30.41%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-34.78%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-2.44%	+2.44%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	0.00%	-6.69%	+6.69%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.00%	3.02%	-3.02%

Volatility

VMRXX vs. IEFA - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard Cash Reserves Federal Money Market Fund Admiral Shares (VMRXX) is 0.30%, while iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) has a volatility of 4.54%. This indicates that VMRXX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IEFA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VMRXX	IEFA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.30%	4.54%	-4.24%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	0.79%	12.74%	-11.95%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.12%	15.22%	-14.10%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	1.02%	16.55%	-15.53%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	1.02%	17.32%	-16.30%

VMRXX vs. IEFA - Expense Ratio Comparison

VMRXX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than IEFA's 0.07% 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

VMRXX vs. IEFA - Dividend Comparison

VMRXX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.88%, more than IEFA's 3.30% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF	3.30%	3.55%	3.47%	3.20%	2.70%	3.32%	1.90%	3.18%	3.46%	2.57%	2.96%	2.63%
VMRXX Vanguard Cash Reserves Federal Money Market Fund Admiral Shares	3.88%	4.15%	3.38%	4.54%	0.00%	0.01%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VMRXX and IEFA in my portfolio?

VMRXX and IEFA have a correlation of -0.02, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VMRXX or IEFA?

IEFA has higher volatility (4.54%) compared to VMRXX (0.30%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VMRXX dropped 0.00% vs IEFA's -34.78%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VMRXX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.67 vs 1.30), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.