VUSUX vs. BLV

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

VUSUX (Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares) and BLV (Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF) are both funds - VUSUX is a Government Bonds fund managed by Vanguard, while BLV is a Long-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Long Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. Over the past 10 years, VUSUX returned -1.03%/yr vs 1.02%/yr for BLV. Their correlation of 0.93 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VUSUX charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for BLV.

Performance

VUSUX vs. BLV - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VUSUX) and Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VUSUX achieves a -0.27% return, which is significantly lower than BLV's 0.59% return. Over the past 10 years, VUSUX has underperformed BLV with an annualized return of -1.03%, while BLV has yielded a comparatively higher 1.02% annualized return.

VUSUX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.15%
• YTD: -0.27%
• 6M: -1.13%
• 1Y: 5.53%
• 3Y*: -0.45%
• 5Y*: -5.05%
• 10Y*: -1.03%

BLV

• 1D: 0.13%
• 1M: 0.78%
• YTD: 0.59%
• 6M: -0.26%
• 1Y: 6.95%
• 3Y*: 2.13%
• 5Y*: -3.04%
• 10Y*: 1.02%

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

VUSUX vs. BLV - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VUSUX Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares	-0.27%	5.66%	-6.30%	3.43%	-29.51%	-4.71%	18.10%	14.26%	-1.80%	8.72%
BLV Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF	0.59%	6.44%	-3.65%	7.35%	-26.95%	-2.89%	16.13%	18.99%	-4.17%	10.74%

Correlation

The correlation between VUSUX and BLV is 0.96 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.96
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.97
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.97
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.94
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 11, 2007	0.93

The correlation between VUSUX and BLV has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.93 to 0.97 - a consistent structural relationship.

VUSUX vs. BLV - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VUSUX	BLV
Financial Services	1.8%	0.0%
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

VUSUX vs. BLV — Risk / Return Rank

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

VUSUX

VUSUX Risk / Return Rank: 6
VUSUX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 6
VUSUX Sortino Ratio Rank: 6
VUSUX Omega Ratio Rank: 6
VUSUX Calmar Ratio Rank: 7
VUSUX Martin Ratio Rank: 6

BLV

BLV Risk / Return Rank: 23
BLV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 24
BLV Sortino Ratio Rank: 24
BLV Omega Ratio Rank: 22
BLV Calmar Ratio Rank: 23
BLV Martin Ratio Rank: 21

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.

VUSUX vs. BLV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VUSUX) and Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV). 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.

	VUSUX	BLV	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.52	0.86	-0.34
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.80	1.27	-0.48
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.09	1.15	-0.06
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.73	1.09	-0.35
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	1.95	2.76	-0.81
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VUSUX vs. BLV - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VUSUX Sharpe Ratio is 0.52, which is lower than the BLV Sharpe Ratio of 0.86. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VUSUX and BLV, 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

	VUSUX	BLV	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.52	0.86	-0.34
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.35	-0.24	-0.11
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.08	0.09	-0.16
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.30	0.37	-0.07

Drawdowns

VUSUX vs. BLV - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VUSUX drawdown since its inception was -46.12%, which is greater than BLV's maximum drawdown of -38.29%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VUSUX and BLV.

Drawdown Indicators

	VUSUX	BLV	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-46.12%	-38.29%	-7.83%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.18%	-5.73%	-1.45%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-17.67%	-15.16%	-2.51%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-41.34%	-36.27%	-5.07%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-46.12%	-38.29%	-7.83%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-36.16%	-23.91%	-12.25%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.53%	-9.51%	-2.02%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.70%	2.26%	+0.44%

Volatility

VUSUX vs. BLV - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VUSUX) has a higher volatility of 2.72% compared to Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV) at 2.57%. This indicates that VUSUX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BLV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VUSUX	BLV	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.72%	2.57%	+0.15%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.17%	5.71%	+0.46%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.10%	8.17%	+0.93%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.62%	12.97%	+1.65%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	13.77%	11.99%	+1.78%

VUSUX vs. BLV - Expense Ratio Comparison

VUSUX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than BLV's 0.03% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

VUSUX vs. BLV - Dividend Comparison

VUSUX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.57%, less than BLV's 4.79% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BLV Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF	4.79%	4.67%	5.09%	4.06%	4.17%	3.37%	6.12%	3.57%	4.07%	3.63%	4.16%	4.37%
VUSUX Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares	4.57%	4.39%	4.15%	3.43%	3.05%	4.46%	10.28%	2.92%	2.91%	2.74%	5.38%	5.62%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VUSUX and BLV in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.96, VUSUX and BLV move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, VUSUX or BLV?

VUSUX has higher volatility (2.72%) compared to BLV (2.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VUSUX dropped -46.12% vs BLV's -38.29%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BLV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.86 vs 0.52), 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.