VTI vs. ETHE
VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) and ETHE (Grayscale Ethereum Trust ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VTI is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index, while ETHE is a Cryptocurrency fund tracking the CoinDesk Ether Price Index . Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VTI returned 12.25%/yr vs -11.18%/yr for ETHE. At a 0.38 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VTI charges 0.03%/yr vs 2.50%/yr for ETHE.
Performance
VTI vs. ETHE - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VTI achieves a 9.05% return, which is significantly higher than ETHE's -43.52% return.
VTI
- 1D
- 0.30%
- 1M
- 0.44%
- YTD
- 9.05%
- 6M
- 8.94%
- 1Y
- 24.96%
- 3Y*
- 21.05%
- 5Y*
- 12.25%
- 10Y*
- 14.84%
ETHE
- 1D
- 6.90%
- 1M
- -27.33%
- YTD
- -43.52%
- 6M
- -46.57%
- 1Y
- -33.22%
- 3Y*
- 20.84%
- 5Y*
- -11.18%
- 10Y*
- —
VTI vs. ETHE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 9.05% | 17.10% | 23.81% | 26.05% | -19.52% | 25.68% | 21.08% | 12.12% |
ETHE Grayscale Ethereum Trust ETF | -43.52% | -13.03% | 44.14% | 308.40% | -85.29% | 108.77% | 441.75% | -57.08% |
Correlation
The correlation between VTI and ETHE is 0.50, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.42 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.46 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 14, 2019 | 0.38 |
The correlation between VTI and ETHE shifts across timeframes, from 0.38 (all time) to 0.50 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VTI vs. ETHE — Risk / Return Rank
VTI
ETHE
VTI vs. ETHE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) and Grayscale Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHE). 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.
| VTI | ETHE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.50 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.07 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.36 | 0.96 | +0.40 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.81 | -0.49 | +3.30 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.85 | -0.86 | +13.71 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VTI | ETHE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.02 | -0.48 | +2.50 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.71 | -0.14 | +0.84 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.81 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.50 | 0.06 | +0.45 |
Drawdowns
VTI vs. ETHE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTI drawdown since its inception was -55.45%, smaller than the maximum ETHE drawdown of -96.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTI and ETHE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTI | ETHE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.45% | -96.26% | +40.81% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.92% | -67.77% | +58.85% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.30% | -67.77% | +48.47% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.36% | -89.85% | +64.49% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.00% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.64% | -78.64% | +76.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.02% | -72.24% | +64.22% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.95% | 38.65% | -36.70% |
Volatility
VTI vs. ETHE - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is 3.88%, while Grayscale Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHE) has a volatility of 16.62%. This indicates that VTI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ETHE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VTI | ETHE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.88% | 16.62% | -12.74% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.55% | 46.92% | -37.37% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.44% | 69.50% | -57.06% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.44% | 82.39% | -64.95% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.33% | 191.74% | -173.41% |
VTI vs. ETHE - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTI has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than ETHE's 2.50% expense ratio.
Dividends
VTI vs. ETHE - Dividend Comparison
VTI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.03%, less than ETHE's 1.44% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ETHE Grayscale Ethereum Trust ETF | 1.44% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 1.03% | 1.12% | 1.27% | 1.44% | 1.66% | 1.21% | 1.42% | 1.78% | 2.04% | 1.71% | 1.92% | 1.98% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VTI and ETHE have a correlation of 0.50, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ETHE has higher volatility (16.62%) compared to VTI (3.88%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTI dropped -55.45% vs ETHE's -96.26%.
On 5-year performance, VTI leads with 12.25% vs -11.18% for ETHE. On fees, VTI is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VTI has been the lower-risk option at 3.88%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, VTI has performed better with a 12.25% return vs -11.18%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTI is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 2.50% for ETHE.
ETHE has the higher dividend yield at 1.44%, compared with 1.03% for VTI.
VTI is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while ETHE is Cryptocurrency. VTI tracks CRSP US Total Market Index, while ETHE tracks CoinDesk Ether Price Index . They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Grayscale. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for VTI and 2.50% for ETHE.
VTI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.02 vs -0.48), 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.
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