XNKY.DE vs. VJPN.DE

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XNKY.DE (Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF) and VJPN.DE (Vanguard FTSE Japan UCITS ETF Distributing) are both Japan Equities funds - XNKY.DE tracks the Nikkei 225® while VJPN.DE tracks the TOPIX TR JPY. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XNKY.DE returned 12.43%/yr vs 9.91%/yr for VJPN.DE. Their correlation of 0.90 suggests significant overlap in exposure. XNKY.DE charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for VJPN.DE.

Performance

XNKY.DE vs. VJPN.DE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a €10,000 investment in Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF (XNKY.DE) and Vanguard FTSE Japan UCITS ETF Distributing (VJPN.DE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XNKY.DE achieves a 32.35% return, which is significantly higher than VJPN.DE's 16.51% return.

XNKY.DE

• 1D: -1.43%
• 1M: 7.59%
• YTD: 32.35%
• 6M: 30.39%
• 1Y: 60.72%
• 3Y*: 20.83%
• 5Y*: 12.43%
• 10Y*: —

VJPN.DE

• 1D: -0.36%
• 1M: 3.70%
• YTD: 16.51%
• 6M: 16.78%
• 1Y: 31.52%
• 3Y*: 15.46%
• 5Y*: 9.91%
• 10Y*: 9.12%

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

XNKY.DE vs. VJPN.DE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
XNKY.DE Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF	32.35%	16.16%	14.34%	18.03%	-15.35%	3.16%	13.56%
VJPN.DE Vanguard FTSE Japan UCITS ETF Distributing	16.51%	13.28%	13.05%	15.88%	-11.76%	9.73%	8.85%

Correlation

The correlation between XNKY.DE and VJPN.DE is 0.85, 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	0.85
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.88
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.90
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 3, 2020	0.90

The correlation between XNKY.DE and VJPN.DE has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.85 to 0.90 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

XNKY.DE vs. VJPN.DE — Risk / Return Rank

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

XNKY.DE

XNKY.DE Risk / Return Rank: 79
XNKY.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 79
XNKY.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
XNKY.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 72
XNKY.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 85
XNKY.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 74

VJPN.DE

VJPN.DE Risk / Return Rank: 56
VJPN.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 49
VJPN.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
VJPN.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 53
VJPN.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 64
VJPN.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 59

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.

XNKY.DE vs. VJPN.DE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF (XNKY.DE) and Vanguard FTSE Japan UCITS ETF Distributing (VJPN.DE). 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.

	XNKY.DE	VJPN.DE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.53	1.67	+0.85
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.63	2.52	+1.11
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.32	+0.10
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.59	3.12	+1.47
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.91	10.42	+3.49
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XNKY.DE vs. VJPN.DE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XNKY.DE Sharpe Ratio is 2.53, which is higher than the VJPN.DE Sharpe Ratio of 1.67. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XNKY.DE and VJPN.DE, 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

	XNKY.DE	VJPN.DE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.53	1.67	+0.85
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.66	0.61	+0.06
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.61	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.74	0.55	+0.19

Drawdowns

XNKY.DE vs. VJPN.DE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XNKY.DE drawdown since its inception was -21.47%, smaller than the maximum VJPN.DE drawdown of -28.32%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XNKY.DE and VJPN.DE.

Drawdown Indicators

	XNKY.DE	VJPN.DE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-21.47%	-28.32%	+6.85%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.99%	-9.71%	-3.28%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.16%	-16.03%	-4.13%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-21.15%	-18.86%	-2.29%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-28.32%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.43%	-0.36%	-1.07%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.84%	-5.87%	-1.97%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.29%	2.91%	+1.38%

Volatility

XNKY.DE vs. VJPN.DE - Volatility Comparison

Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF (XNKY.DE) has a higher volatility of 6.59% compared to Vanguard FTSE Japan UCITS ETF Distributing (VJPN.DE) at 3.35%. This indicates that XNKY.DE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VJPN.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XNKY.DE	VJPN.DE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.59%	3.35%	+3.24%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	18.61%	14.54%	+4.07%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	23.59%	18.10%	+5.49%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.57%	16.18%	+2.39%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.42%	17.28%	+1.14%

XNKY.DE vs. VJPN.DE - Expense Ratio Comparison

XNKY.DE has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than VJPN.DE's 0.15% 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

XNKY.DE vs. VJPN.DE - Dividend Comparison

XNKY.DE has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VJPN.DE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.66%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VJPN.DE Vanguard FTSE Japan UCITS ETF Distributing	1.66%	1.91%	1.93%	1.91%	2.22%	1.65%	1.62%	1.80%	1.94%	1.49%	1.55%	1.29%
XNKY.DE Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF	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 XNKY.DE and VJPN.DE in my portfolio?

XNKY.DE and VJPN.DE have a correlation of 0.85, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XNKY.DE or VJPN.DE?

On fees, XNKY.DE is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XNKY.DE or VJPN.DE?

XNKY.DE is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for VJPN.DE.

What is the main difference between XNKY.DE and VJPN.DE?

XNKY.DE tracks Nikkei 225®, while VJPN.DE tracks TOPIX TR JPY. They also come from different issuers: Xtrackers and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for XNKY.DE and 0.15% for VJPN.DE.