VUSA.L vs. XDWE.L

Last updated Jun 26, 2026

VUSA.L (Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF) and XDWE.L (Xtrackers S&P 500 Equal Weight UCITS ETF 1C) are both S&P 500 funds - VUSA.L tracks the S&P 500 Index while XDWE.L tracks the S&P 500 Equal Weight Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VUSA.L returned 15.51%/yr vs 12.34%/yr for XDWE.L. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VUSA.L charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for XDWE.L.

Performance

VUSA.L vs. XDWE.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA.L) and Xtrackers S&P 500 Equal Weight UCITS ETF 1C (XDWE.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VUSA.L achieves a 9.53% return, which is significantly lower than XDWE.L's 12.77% return. Over the past 10 years, VUSA.L has outperformed XDWE.L with an annualized return of 15.51%, while XDWE.L has yielded a comparatively lower 12.34% annualized return.

VUSA.L

• 1D: -0.96%
• 1M: -0.07%
• YTD: 9.53%
• 6M: 9.70%
• 1Y: 26.03%
• 3Y*: 19.11%
• 5Y*: 13.99%
• 10Y*: 15.51%

XDWE.L

• 1D: 0.08%
• 1M: 4.41%
• YTD: 12.77%
• 6M: 13.15%
• 1Y: 24.09%
• 3Y*: 13.57%
• 5Y*: 9.66%
• 10Y*: 12.34%

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

VUSA.L vs. XDWE.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VUSA.L Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF	9.53%	9.39%	27.33%	19.82%	-9.02%	30.97%	13.65%	26.53%	-0.10%	10.72%
XDWE.L Xtrackers S&P 500 Equal Weight UCITS ETF 1C	12.77%	3.94%	14.06%	7.78%	-1.34%	31.37%	7.89%	23.88%	-3.60%	7.83%

Correlation

The correlation between VUSA.L and XDWE.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	0.74
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.82
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.88
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 10, 2014	0.88

Over the past year, the correlation between VUSA.L and XDWE.L has dropped to 0.67 - well below their long-term average of 0.88, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

VUSA.L vs. XDWE.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VUSA.L	XDWE.L
Technology	35.7%	20.9%
Financial Services	11.6%	13.9%
Communication Services	11.3%	3.9%
Consumer Cyclical	10.2%	10.0%
Healthcare	8.5%	11.1%
Industrials	8.3%	14.2%
Consumer Defensive	4.9%	6.4%
Energy	3.5%	4.0%
Utilities	2.4%	5.7%
Real Estate	1.9%	6.1%
Basic Materials	1.8%	3.9%

Return for Risk

VUSA.L vs. XDWE.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

VUSA.L

VUSA.L Risk / Return Rank: 82
VUSA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
VUSA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
VUSA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 84
VUSA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 80
VUSA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 79

XDWE.L

XDWE.L Risk / Return Rank: 85
XDWE.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 87
XDWE.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 87
XDWE.L Omega Ratio Rank: 86
XDWE.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
XDWE.L Martin Ratio Rank: 80

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.L vs. XDWE.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA.L) and Xtrackers S&P 500 Equal Weight UCITS ETF 1C (XDWE.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.

	VUSA.L	XDWE.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.36	2.48	-0.11
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.21	3.44	-0.23
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.44	1.46	-0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.65	4.25	-0.61
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.19	13.62	-0.43

VUSA.L vs. XDWE.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VUSA.L Sharpe Ratio is 2.36, which is comparable to the XDWE.L Sharpe Ratio of 2.48. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VUSA.L and XDWE.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

VUSA.L vs. XDWE.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VUSA.L drawdown since its inception was -25.48%, smaller than the maximum XDWE.L drawdown of -98.55%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VUSA.L and XDWE.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	VUSA.L	XDWE.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-25.48%	-98.55%	+73.07%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.10%	-5.64%	-1.46%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.93%	-19.89%	-1.04%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.93%	-19.89%	-1.04%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-25.48%	-31.08%	+5.60%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.49%	0.00%	-1.49%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.15%	-4.84%	+1.69%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.97%	1.77%	+0.20%

Volatility

VUSA.L vs. XDWE.L - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA.L) has a higher volatility of 3.54% compared to Xtrackers S&P 500 Equal Weight UCITS ETF 1C (XDWE.L) at 2.21%. This indicates that VUSA.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XDWE.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VUSA.L	XDWE.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.54%	2.21%	+1.33%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.69%	6.60%	+1.09%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.97%	9.70%	+1.27%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.36%	19.53%	-5.17%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.55%	18.63%	-3.08%

VUSA.L vs. XDWE.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

VUSA.L has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than XDWE.L's 0.20% 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.L vs. XDWE.L - Dividend Comparison

VUSA.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.89%, while XDWE.L has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VUSA.L Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF	0.89%	0.95%	1.00%	1.24%	1.41%	1.04%	1.44%	1.50%	1.72%	1.61%	1.58%	1.74%
XDWE.L Xtrackers S&P 500 Equal Weight UCITS ETF 1C	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

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

VUSA.L and XDWE.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, VUSA.L or XDWE.L?

On fees, VUSA.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, VUSA.L or XDWE.L?

VUSA.L is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for XDWE.L.

What is the main difference between VUSA.L and XDWE.L?

VUSA.L tracks S&P 500 Index, while XDWE.L tracks S&P 500 Equal Weight Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Xtrackers. Their fees differ too: 0.07% for VUSA.L and 0.20% for XDWE.L.