VWO vs. VGT

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) and Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT).

VWO and VGT 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. VGT is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Information Technology 25/50 Index. It was launched on Mar 25, 2004. Both VWO and VGT are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

VWO vs. VGT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) and Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

VWO vs. VGT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VWO Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF	0.84%	25.60%	10.59%	9.25%	-17.98%	1.26%	15.17%	20.75%	-14.76%	31.49%
VGT Vanguard Information Technology ETF	-6.16%	21.77%	29.30%	52.66%	-29.70%	30.45%	46.04%	48.62%	2.46%	37.08%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VWO achieves a 0.84% return, which is significantly higher than VGT's -6.16% return. Over the past 10 years, VWO has underperformed VGT with an annualized return of 7.66%, while VGT has yielded a comparatively higher 21.51% annualized 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%

VGT

• 1D: 1.28%
• 1M: -3.61%
• YTD: -6.16%
• 6M: -5.90%
• 1Y: 29.76%
• 3Y*: 23.10%
• 5Y*: 14.83%
• 10Y*: 21.51%

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

VWO vs. VGT - Expense Ratio Comparison

VWO has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than VGT'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%.

VGT

Vanguard Information Technology ETF

VWO

Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF

Return for Risk

VWO vs. VGT — Risk / Return Rank

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

VWO

VWO Risk / Return Rank: 70
VWO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
VWO Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
VWO Omega Ratio Rank: 69
VWO Calmar Ratio Rank: 71
VWO Martin Ratio Rank: 68

VGT

VGT Risk / Return Rank: 62
VGT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 60
VGT Sortino Ratio Rank: 63
VGT Omega Ratio Rank: 61
VGT Calmar Ratio Rank: 71
VGT Martin Ratio Rank: 57

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.

VWO vs. VGT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) and Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT). 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	VGT	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.28	1.10	+0.18
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.80	1.67	+0.13
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.26	1.23	+0.03
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.89	1.88	+0.01
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	7.18	5.77	+1.41
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VWO vs. VGT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VWO Sharpe Ratio is 1.28, which is comparable to the VGT Sharpe Ratio of 1.10. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VWO and VGT, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VWO	VGT	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.28	1.10	+0.18
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.23	0.59	-0.37
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.40	0.88	-0.48
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.25	0.61	-0.36

Correlation

The correlation between VWO and VGT is 0.67, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

VWO vs. VGT - Dividend Comparison

VWO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.68%, more than VGT's 0.43% 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%
VGT Vanguard Information Technology ETF	0.43%	0.40%	0.60%	0.65%	0.91%	0.64%	0.82%	1.11%	1.29%	0.99%	1.31%	1.28%

Drawdowns

VWO vs. VGT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VWO drawdown since its inception was -67.68%, which is greater than VGT's maximum drawdown of -54.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VWO and VGT.

Drawdown Indicators

	VWO	VGT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-67.68%	-54.63%	-13.05%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.23%	-16.40%	+4.17%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-32.80%	-35.07%	+2.27%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.39%	-35.07%	-1.32%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.13%	-11.66%	+3.53%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-15.93%	-8.00%	-7.93%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.22%	5.35%	-2.13%

Volatility

VWO vs. VGT - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) is 7.41%, while Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT) has a volatility of 8.03%. This indicates that VWO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VGT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VWO	VGT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.41%	8.03%	-0.62%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.26%	16.35%	-4.09%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.83%	27.27%	-9.44%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.21%	25.06%	-7.85%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.18%	24.48%	-5.30%