VUSA.AS vs. VFEM.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VUSA.AS (Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF) and VFEM.L (Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing) are both exchange-traded funds - VUSA.AS is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index, while VFEM.L is a Emerging Markets Equities fund tracking the MSCI EM NR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VUSA.AS returned 14.95%/yr vs 10.61%/yr for VFEM.L. A 0.60 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VUSA.AS charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.22%/yr for VFEM.L.

Performance

VUSA.AS vs. VFEM.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a €10,000 investment in Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA.AS) and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing (VFEM.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

VUSA.AS is traded in EUR, while VFEM.L is traded in GBP. To make them comparable, the VFEM.L values have been converted to EUR using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VUSA.AS achieves a 11.59% return, which is significantly lower than VFEM.L's 12.78% return. Over the past 10 years, VUSA.AS has outperformed VFEM.L with an annualized return of 14.95%, while VFEM.L has yielded a comparatively lower 10.61% annualized return.

VUSA.AS

• 1D: -0.11%
• 1M: 5.23%
• YTD: 11.59%
• 6M: 11.46%
• 1Y: 25.64%
• 3Y*: 18.84%
• 5Y*: 14.77%
• 10Y*: 14.95%

VFEM.L

• 1D: -0.22%
• 1M: 2.45%
• YTD: 12.78%
• 6M: 13.54%
• 1Y: 27.56%
• 3Y*: 16.66%
• 5Y*: 8.74%
• 10Y*: 10.61%

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

VUSA.AS vs. VFEM.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VUSA.AS Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF	11.59%	3.90%	33.86%	22.12%	-14.18%	40.36%	7.72%	32.99%	-0.37%	6.68%
VFEM.L Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing	12.78%	10.80%	20.84%	7.68%	-8.22%	10.76%	8.79%	23.70%	-7.97%	16.13%

Correlation

The correlation between VUSA.AS and VFEM.L is 0.62, 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	0.62
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.51
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.50
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.57
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 7, 2013	0.60

The correlation between VUSA.AS and VFEM.L shifts across timeframes, from 0.50 (5 years) to 0.62 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

VUSA.AS vs. VFEM.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

VUSA.AS

VUSA.AS Risk / Return Rank: 70
VUSA.AS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 69
VUSA.AS Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
VUSA.AS Omega Ratio Rank: 71
VUSA.AS Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
VUSA.AS Martin Ratio Rank: 70

VFEM.L

VFEM.L Risk / Return Rank: 68
VFEM.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 69
VFEM.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
VFEM.L Omega Ratio Rank: 68
VFEM.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 70
VFEM.L Martin Ratio Rank: 64

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.

VUSA.AS vs. VFEM.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA.AS) and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing (VFEM.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.

	VUSA.AS	VFEM.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.23	1.89	+0.34
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.03	2.67	+0.36
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.34	+0.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.55	3.17	+0.38
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.69	10.59	+2.10
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VUSA.AS vs. VFEM.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VUSA.AS Sharpe Ratio is 2.23, which is comparable to the VFEM.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.89. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VUSA.AS and VFEM.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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VUSA.AS	VFEM.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.23	1.89	+0.34
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.96	0.55	+0.42
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.92	0.59	+0.32
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.93	0.49	+0.44

Drawdowns

VUSA.AS vs. VFEM.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VUSA.AS drawdown since its inception was -33.64%, smaller than the maximum VFEM.L drawdown of -35.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VUSA.AS and VFEM.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	VUSA.AS	VFEM.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.64%	-35.97%	+2.33%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.13%	-8.64%	+1.51%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-23.24%	-17.30%	-5.94%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-23.24%	-17.30%	-5.94%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-33.64%	-31.87%	-1.77%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.43%	-1.63%	+1.20%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.06%	-7.34%	+3.28%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.01%	2.60%	-0.59%

Volatility

VUSA.AS vs. VFEM.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA.AS) is 2.62%, while Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing (VFEM.L) has a volatility of 5.33%. This indicates that VUSA.AS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VFEM.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VUSA.AS	VFEM.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.62%	5.33%	-2.71%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.44%	11.44%	-4.00%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.34%	14.51%	-3.17%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.11%	15.99%	-0.88%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.01%	17.83%	-1.82%

VUSA.AS vs. VFEM.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

VUSA.AS has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than VFEM.L's 0.22% 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

VUSA.AS vs. VFEM.L - Dividend Comparison

VUSA.AS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.87%, less than VFEM.L's 2.04% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VFEM.L Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing	2.04%	2.36%	2.93%	6.58%	7.88%	6.20%	4.92%	3.39%	3.61%	2.98%	2.96%	4.36%
VUSA.AS Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF	0.87%	0.97%	0.99%	1.26%	1.45%	1.02%	1.43%	1.46%	1.74%	1.64%	1.66%	1.76%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VUSA.AS and VFEM.L in my portfolio?

VUSA.AS and VFEM.L have a correlation of 0.62, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VUSA.AS or VFEM.L?

On fees, VUSA.AS 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, VUSA.AS or VFEM.L?

VUSA.AS is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.22% for VFEM.L.

What is the main difference between VUSA.AS and VFEM.L?

VUSA.AS is categorized as S&P 500, while VFEM.L is Emerging Markets Equities. VUSA.AS tracks S&P 500 Index, while VFEM.L tracks MSCI EM NR USD. Their fees differ too: 0.07% for VUSA.AS and 0.22% for VFEM.L.