XEF-U.TO vs. VXUS

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

XEF-U.TO (iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF) and VXUS (Vanguard Total International Stock ETF) are both Global Equities funds - XEF-U.TO tracks the MSCI EAFE® Investable Market Index while VXUS tracks the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XEF-U.TO returned 7.17%/yr vs 8.46%/yr for VXUS. At a 0.49 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XEF-U.TO charges 0.21%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for VXUS.

Performance

XEF-U.TO vs. VXUS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF (XEF-U.TO) and Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XEF-U.TO achieves a 8.45% return, which is significantly lower than VXUS's 14.25% return.

XEF-U.TO

• 1D: -0.76%
• 1M: 3.58%
• YTD: 8.45%
• 6M: 10.90%
• 1Y: 20.77%
• 3Y*: 15.95%
• 5Y*: 7.17%
• 10Y*: —

VXUS

• 1D: -0.99%
• 1M: 4.68%
• YTD: 14.25%
• 6M: 16.92%
• 1Y: 32.01%
• 3Y*: 19.30%
• 5Y*: 8.46%
• 10Y*: 9.76%

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

XEF-U.TO vs. VXUS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
XEF-U.TO iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF	8.45%	31.24%	2.23%	15.90%	-15.58%	10.81%	10.61%	1.79%
VXUS Vanguard Total International Stock ETF	14.25%	32.35%	5.08%	15.86%	-16.08%	8.98%	10.66%	5.47%

Correlation

The correlation between XEF-U.TO and VXUS is 0.87, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.87
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.66
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.56
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 30, 2019	0.49

Over the past year, XEF-U.TO and VXUS have become more correlated (0.87) than their long-term average of 0.49, meaning their price movements have been converging.

Return for Risk

XEF-U.TO vs. VXUS — Risk / Return Rank

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

XEF-U.TO

XEF-U.TO Risk / Return Rank: 38
XEF-U.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 38
XEF-U.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 37
XEF-U.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 38
XEF-U.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 36
XEF-U.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 42

VXUS

VXUS Risk / Return Rank: 60
VXUS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
VXUS Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
VXUS Omega Ratio Rank: 62
VXUS Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
VXUS Martin Ratio Rank: 61

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.

XEF-U.TO vs. VXUS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF (XEF-U.TO) and Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS). 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.

	XEF-U.TO	VXUS	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.38	2.12	-0.73
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.96	2.90	-0.94
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.26	1.39	-0.13
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.80	2.85	-1.05
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	6.90	11.14	-4.24
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XEF-U.TO vs. VXUS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XEF-U.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.38, which is lower than the VXUS Sharpe Ratio of 2.12. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XEF-U.TO and VXUS, 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

	XEF-U.TO	VXUS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.38	2.12	-0.73
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.53	0.53	0.00
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.57	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.68	0.39	+0.29

Drawdowns

XEF-U.TO vs. VXUS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XEF-U.TO drawdown since its inception was -33.72%, smaller than the maximum VXUS drawdown of -35.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XEF-U.TO and VXUS.

Drawdown Indicators

	XEF-U.TO	VXUS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.72%	-35.97%	+2.25%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.67%	-11.27%	-0.40%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.48%	-13.58%	+0.10%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-31.18%	-29.44%	-1.74%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-35.97%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.58%	-0.99%	-0.59%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.61%	-8.22%	+2.61%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.03%	2.88%	+0.15%

Volatility

XEF-U.TO vs. VXUS - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF (XEF-U.TO) is 5.01%, while Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) has a volatility of 5.60%. This indicates that XEF-U.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VXUS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XEF-U.TO	VXUS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.01%	5.60%	-0.59%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.61%	13.00%	-0.39%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.24%	15.21%	+0.03%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.28%	16.05%	+5.23%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.41%	17.16%	+7.25%

XEF-U.TO vs. VXUS - Expense Ratio Comparison

XEF-U.TO has a 0.21% expense ratio, which is higher than VXUS's 0.05% 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

XEF-U.TO vs. VXUS - Dividend Comparison

XEF-U.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.63%, less than VXUS's 2.66% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VXUS Vanguard Total International Stock ETF	2.66%	3.18%	3.37%	3.24%	3.09%	3.10%	2.14%	3.06%	3.18%	2.73%	2.93%	2.83%
XEF-U.TO iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF	1.63%	1.77%	2.05%	2.09%	2.27%	1.94%	1.41%	0.77%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XEF-U.TO and VXUS in my portfolio?

XEF-U.TO and VXUS have a correlation of 0.87, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XEF-U.TO or VXUS?

On fees, VXUS is cheaper at 0.05% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XEF-U.TO or VXUS?

VXUS is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.21% for XEF-U.TO.

What is the main difference between XEF-U.TO and VXUS?

XEF-U.TO tracks MSCI EAFE® Investable Market Index, while VXUS tracks FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.21% for XEF-U.TO and 0.05% for VXUS.