VTIP vs. IBIC
VTIP (Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF) and IBIC (iShares iBonds Oct 2026 Term TIPS ETF) are both Inflation-Protected Bonds funds - VTIP tracks the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0-5 Year Index while IBIC tracks the ICE 2026 Maturity US Inflation-Linked Treasury Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, VTIP returned 4.70% vs 4.54% for IBIC. A 0.71 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VTIP charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for IBIC.
Performance
VTIP vs. IBIC - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VTIP achieves a 2.05% return, which is significantly lower than IBIC's 2.37% return.
VTIP
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.04%
- YTD
- 2.05%
- 6M
- 2.03%
- 1Y
- 4.70%
- 3Y*
- 5.26%
- 5Y*
- 3.37%
- 10Y*
- 3.14%
IBIC
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.27%
- YTD
- 2.37%
- 6M
- 2.51%
- 1Y
- 4.54%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
VTIP vs. IBIC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
VTIP Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF | 2.05% | 6.07% | 4.74% | 2.21% |
IBIC iShares iBonds Oct 2026 Term TIPS ETF | 2.37% | 4.96% | 5.25% | 2.17% |
Correlation
The correlation between VTIP and IBIC is 0.38, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 18, 2023 | 0.71 |
Over the past year, the correlation between VTIP and IBIC has dropped to 0.38 - well below their long-term average of 0.71, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
VTIP vs. IBIC — Risk / Return Rank
VTIP
IBIC
VTIP vs. IBIC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP) and iShares iBonds Oct 2026 Term TIPS ETF (IBIC). 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.
| VTIP | IBIC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.90 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.76 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.67 | 2.24 | -0.57 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 6.75 | 17.27 | -10.52 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 26.06 | 67.45 | -41.39 |
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
| VTIP | IBIC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.15 | 5.05 | -1.90 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.22 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.15 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.89 | 3.49 | -2.60 |
Drawdowns
VTIP vs. IBIC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTIP drawdown since its inception was -6.27%, which is greater than IBIC's maximum drawdown of -0.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTIP and IBIC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTIP | IBIC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -6.27% | -0.90% | -5.37% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.70% | -0.26% | -0.44% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.98% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -5.50% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -6.27% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.02% | -0.13% | +0.11% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.04% | -0.10% | -0.94% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.18% | 0.07% | +0.11% |
Volatility
VTIP vs. IBIC - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP) has a higher volatility of 0.43% compared to iShares iBonds Oct 2026 Term TIPS ETF (IBIC) at 0.33%. This indicates that VTIP's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IBIC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VTIP | IBIC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.43% | 0.33% | +0.10% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.02% | 0.67% | +0.35% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.50% | 0.90% | +0.60% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.77% | 1.58% | +1.19% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.74% | 1.58% | +1.16% |
VTIP vs. IBIC - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTIP has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than IBIC's 0.10% 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
VTIP vs. IBIC - Dividend Comparison
VTIP's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.58%, which matches IBIC's 3.59% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IBIC iShares iBonds Oct 2026 Term TIPS ETF | 3.59% | 4.43% | 4.65% | 0.83% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VTIP Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF | 3.58% | 3.81% | 2.70% | 2.86% | 6.84% | 4.68% | 1.20% | 1.95% | 2.45% | 1.52% | 0.76% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VTIP and IBIC have a correlation of 0.38, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VTIP has higher volatility (0.43%) compared to IBIC (0.33%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTIP dropped -6.27% vs IBIC's -0.90%.
On 1-year performance, VTIP leads with 4.70% vs 4.54% for IBIC. On fees, VTIP is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, IBIC has been the lower-risk option at 0.33%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, VTIP has performed better with a 4.70% return vs 4.54%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTIP is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.10% for IBIC.
IBIC has the higher dividend yield at 3.59%, compared with 3.58% for VTIP.
VTIP tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) 0-5 Year Index, while IBIC tracks ICE 2026 Maturity US Inflation-Linked Treasury Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for VTIP and 0.10% for IBIC.
IBIC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (5.05 vs 3.15), 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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