VSCA.L vs. XZBU.L

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

VSCA.L (Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating) and XZBU.L (Xtrackers USD Corporate Bond SRI PAB UCITS ETF 1C) are both Corporate Bonds funds - VSCA.L tracks the Bloomberg US Corp 1-3 Yr TR USD while XZBU.L tracks the Bloomberg US Corp Bond TR USD. Both are passively managed. A 0.65 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VSCA.L charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.16%/yr for XZBU.L.

Performance

VSCA.L vs. XZBU.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating (VSCA.L) and Xtrackers USD Corporate Bond SRI PAB UCITS ETF 1C (XZBU.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

VSCA.L

• 1D: -0.14%
• 1M: 1.34%
• YTD: 0.73%
• 6M: 0.30%
• 1Y: 4.77%
• 3Y*: 2.64%
• 5Y*: 3.53%
• 10Y*: —

XZBU.L

• 1D: —
• 1M: —
• YTD: —
• 6M: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

VSCA.L vs. XZBU.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
VSCA.L Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating	0.73%	-1.28%	7.12%	-0.30%	7.72%	0.72%	-4.75%
XZBU.L Xtrackers USD Corporate Bond SRI PAB UCITS ETF 1C	34.27%	0.67%	2.68%	2.98%	-8.73%	-0.87%	-2.84%

Correlation

The correlation between VSCA.L and XZBU.L is 0.67, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.67
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.60
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.62
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 11, 2020	0.65

The correlation between VSCA.L and XZBU.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.60 to 0.67 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

VSCA.L vs. XZBU.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

VSCA.L

VSCA.L Risk / Return Rank: 24
VSCA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 24
VSCA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 23
VSCA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 22
VSCA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 25
VSCA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 24

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.

VSCA.L vs. XZBU.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating (VSCA.L) and Xtrackers USD Corporate Bond SRI PAB UCITS ETF 1C (XZBU.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.

	VSCA.L	XZBU.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.83	—	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.25	—	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.15	—	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.19	—	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.11	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VSCA.L	XZBU.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.83	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.45	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.27	—	—

Drawdowns

Drawdown Indicators

	VSCA.L	XZBU.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-15.11%	—	—
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.25%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-8.78%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.11%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.82%	—	—
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.76%	—	—
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.62%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	VSCA.L	XZBU.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.79%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.39%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.08%	—	—
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.88%	—	—
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	8.99%	—	—

VSCA.L vs. XZBU.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

VSCA.L has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than XZBU.L's 0.16% 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%.

Dividends

VSCA.L vs. XZBU.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither VSCA.L nor XZBU.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VSCA.L and XZBU.L in my portfolio?

VSCA.L and XZBU.L have a correlation of 0.67, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VSCA.L or XZBU.L?

On fees, VSCA.L 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, VSCA.L or XZBU.L?

VSCA.L is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.16% for XZBU.L.

What is the main difference between VSCA.L and XZBU.L?

VSCA.L tracks Bloomberg US Corp 1-3 Yr TR USD, while XZBU.L tracks Bloomberg US Corp Bond TR USD. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Xtrackers. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for VSCA.L and 0.16% for XZBU.L.