VWO vs. DFAE
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) and Dimensional Emerging Core Equity Market ETF (DFAE).
VWO and DFAE are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VWO is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the FTSE Emerging Index. It was launched on Mar 4, 2005. DFAE is an actively managed fund by Dimensional. It was launched on Dec 2, 2020.
Performance
VWO vs. DFAE - Performance Comparison
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VWO vs. DFAE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VWO Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF | 0.84% | 25.60% | 10.59% | 9.25% | -17.98% | 1.26% | 3.88% |
DFAE Dimensional Emerging Core Equity Market ETF | 4.95% | 31.48% | 7.68% | 12.63% | -17.52% | 3.53% | 4.85% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VWO achieves a 0.84% return, which is significantly lower than DFAE's 4.95% return.
VWO
- 1D
- 0.30%
- 1M
- -5.29%
- YTD
- 0.84%
- 6M
- 1.39%
- 1Y
- 22.71%
- 3Y*
- 13.84%
- 5Y*
- 3.90%
- 10Y*
- 7.66%
DFAE
- 1D
- 0.80%
- 1M
- -6.60%
- YTD
- 4.95%
- 6M
- 8.22%
- 1Y
- 34.15%
- 3Y*
- 16.80%
- 5Y*
- 6.27%
- 10Y*
- —
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VWO vs. DFAE - Expense Ratio Comparison
VWO has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than DFAE's 0.35% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
VWO vs. DFAE — Risk / Return Rank
VWO
DFAE
VWO vs. DFAE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) and Dimensional Emerging Core Equity Market ETF (DFAE). 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.
| VWO | DFAE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.28 | 1.77 | -0.49 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.80 | 2.37 | -0.57 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.35 | -0.09 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.89 | 2.73 | -0.84 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.18 | 10.40 | -3.22 |
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
| VWO | DFAE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.28 | 1.77 | -0.49 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.23 | 0.36 | -0.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.40 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.25 | 0.45 | -0.20 |
Correlation
The correlation between VWO and DFAE is 0.98, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
VWO vs. DFAE - Dividend Comparison
VWO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.68%, more than DFAE's 2.09% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VWO Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF | 2.68% | 2.79% | 3.20% | 3.52% | 4.11% | 2.63% | 1.91% | 3.23% | 2.88% | 2.30% | 2.52% | 3.26% |
DFAE Dimensional Emerging Core Equity Market ETF | 2.09% | 2.20% | 2.35% | 2.43% | 2.85% | 1.63% | 0.01% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
VWO vs. DFAE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VWO drawdown since its inception was -67.68%, which is greater than DFAE's maximum drawdown of -32.21%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VWO and DFAE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VWO | DFAE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -67.68% | -32.21% | -35.47% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.23% | -12.80% | +0.57% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -32.80% | -32.21% | -0.59% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.39% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -8.13% | -9.02% | +0.89% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.93% | -10.59% | -5.34% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.22% | 3.36% | -0.14% |
Volatility
VWO vs. DFAE - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) is 7.41%, while Dimensional Emerging Core Equity Market ETF (DFAE) has a volatility of 9.12%. This indicates that VWO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DFAE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VWO | DFAE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.41% | 9.12% | -1.71% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.26% | 14.33% | -2.07% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.83% | 19.37% | -1.54% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.21% | 17.36% | -0.15% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.18% | 17.49% | +1.69% |