VUAA.L vs. VDCA.L

Last updated Jun 27, 2026

VUAA.L (Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation) and VDCA.L (Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF USD Accumulation) are both exchange-traded funds - VUAA.L is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Net Total Return, while VDCA.L is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Corporate - United States Dollar Index 1-3 Year. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VUAA.L returned 12.83%/yr vs 2.68%/yr for VDCA.L. At a 0.11 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VUAA.L charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for VDCA.L.

Performance

VUAA.L vs. VDCA.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation (VUAA.L) and Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF USD Accumulation (VDCA.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VUAA.L achieves a 7.55% return, which is significantly higher than VDCA.L's 1.19% return.

VUAA.L

• 1D: 0.01%
• 1M: -1.75%
• YTD: 7.55%
• 6M: 7.31%
• 1Y: 21.54%
• 3Y*: 20.51%
• 5Y*: 12.83%
• 10Y*: —

VDCA.L

• 1D: 0.08%
• 1M: 0.23%
• YTD: 1.19%
• 6M: 1.34%
• 1Y: 4.17%
• 3Y*: 5.46%
• 5Y*: 2.68%
• 10Y*: —

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

VUAA.L vs. VDCA.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
VUAA.L Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation	7.55%	17.37%	25.27%	26.68%	-18.63%	29.34%	20.33%	14.82%
VDCA.L Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF USD Accumulation	1.19%	5.87%	5.55%	5.39%	-3.80%	-0.21%	3.56%	2.90%

Correlation

The correlation between VUAA.L and VDCA.L is 0.20, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.20
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.12
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.13
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 14, 2019	0.11

Return for Risk

VUAA.L vs. VDCA.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

VUAA.L

VUAA.L Risk / Return Rank: 62
VUAA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
VUAA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
VUAA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 59
VUAA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
VUAA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 66

VDCA.L

VDCA.L Risk / Return Rank: 91
VDCA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 89
VDCA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
VDCA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 91
VDCA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 92
VDCA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 92

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.

VUAA.L vs. VDCA.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation (VUAA.L) and Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF USD Accumulation (VDCA.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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	VUAA.L	VDCA.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.79	2.51	-0.73
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.67	4.01	-1.34
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.32	1.51	-0.19
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.62	5.23	-2.61
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.71	19.50	-8.79

VUAA.L vs. VDCA.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VUAA.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.79, which is comparable to the VDCA.L Sharpe Ratio of 2.51. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VUAA.L and VDCA.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

VUAA.L vs. VDCA.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VUAA.L drawdown since its inception was -34.05%, which is greater than VDCA.L's maximum drawdown of -9.85%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VUAA.L and VDCA.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	VUAA.L	VDCA.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.05%	-9.85%	-24.20%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.18%	-0.79%	-7.39%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.39%	-1.14%	-17.25%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.36%	-6.43%	-17.93%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.04%	0.00%	-3.04%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.98%	-1.05%	-3.93%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.01%	0.21%	+1.80%

Volatility

VUAA.L vs. VDCA.L - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation (VUAA.L) has a higher volatility of 3.84% compared to Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF USD Accumulation (VDCA.L) at 0.76%. This indicates that VUAA.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VDCA.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VUAA.L	VDCA.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.84%	0.76%	+3.08%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.19%	1.26%	+7.93%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.03%	1.65%	+10.38%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.06%	2.13%	+13.93%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.78%	3.45%	+14.33%

VUAA.L vs. VDCA.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

VUAA.L has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than VDCA.L's 0.09% 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

VUAA.L vs. VDCA.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither VUAA.L nor VDCA.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
VDCA.L Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF USD Accumulation	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VUAA.L Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF USD Accumulation	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	1.63%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VUAA.L and VDCA.L in my portfolio?

VUAA.L and VDCA.L have a correlation of 0.20, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VUAA.L or VDCA.L?

On fees, VUAA.L is cheaper at 0.07% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VUAA.L or VDCA.L?

VUAA.L is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.09% for VDCA.L.

What is the main difference between VUAA.L and VDCA.L?

VUAA.L is categorized as S&P 500, while VDCA.L is Short-Term Bond. VUAA.L tracks S&P 500 Net Total Return, while VDCA.L tracks Bloomberg Global Aggregate Corporate - United States Dollar Index 1-3 Year. Their fees differ too: 0.07% for VUAA.L and 0.09% for VDCA.L.