XTLT.TO vs. VLB.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

XTLT.TO (iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF) and VLB.TO (Vanguard Canadian Long-Term Bond Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XTLT.TO is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index, while VLB.TO is a Long-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Canadian 10+ Year Float Adjusted Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, XTLT.TO returned -1.68%/yr vs 2.57%/yr for VLB.TO. A 0.68 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. XTLT.TO charges 0.18%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for VLB.TO.

Performance

XTLT.TO vs. VLB.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF (XTLT.TO) and Vanguard Canadian Long-Term Bond Index ETF (VLB.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XTLT.TO achieves a 0.91% return, which is significantly lower than VLB.TO's 2.84% return.

XTLT.TO

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 2.85%
• YTD: 0.91%
• 6M: -2.99%
• 1Y: 5.60%
• 3Y*: -1.68%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

VLB.TO

• 1D: -0.29%
• 1M: 2.76%
• YTD: 2.84%
• 6M: 0.71%
• 1Y: 2.55%
• 3Y*: 2.57%
• 5Y*: -1.62%
• 10Y*: —

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

XTLT.TO vs. VLB.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
XTLT.TO iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF	0.91%	-1.07%	-1.47%	-2.80%
VLB.TO Vanguard Canadian Long-Term Bond Index ETF	2.84%	-1.07%	0.69%	5.60%

Correlation

The correlation between XTLT.TO and VLB.TO is 0.70, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.70
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.73
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 14, 2023	0.68

The correlation between XTLT.TO and VLB.TO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.68 to 0.73 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

XTLT.TO vs. VLB.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

XTLT.TO

XTLT.TO Risk / Return Rank: 16
XTLT.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 17
XTLT.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 17
XTLT.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 16
XTLT.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 16
XTLT.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 15

VLB.TO

VLB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 13
VLB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 13
VLB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 12
VLB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 12
VLB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 16
VLB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 14

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.

XTLT.TO vs. VLB.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF (XTLT.TO) and Vanguard Canadian Long-Term Bond Index ETF (VLB.TO). 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.

	XTLT.TO	VLB.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.55	0.30	+0.25
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.87	0.46	+0.41
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.10	1.06	+0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.58	0.52	+0.06
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.26	0.98	+0.28
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XTLT.TO vs. VLB.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XTLT.TO Sharpe Ratio is 0.55, which is higher than the VLB.TO Sharpe Ratio of 0.30. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XTLT.TO and VLB.TO, 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

	XTLT.TO	VLB.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.55	0.30	+0.25
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	-0.13	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.10	0.08	-0.18

Drawdowns

XTLT.TO vs. VLB.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XTLT.TO drawdown since its inception was -21.04%, smaller than the maximum VLB.TO drawdown of -34.41%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XTLT.TO and VLB.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	XTLT.TO	VLB.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-21.04%	-34.41%	+13.37%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.72%	-4.90%	-4.82%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.07%	-12.17%	-3.90%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-27.90%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-9.60%	-20.35%	+10.75%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.98%	-14.13%	+5.15%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.45%	2.60%	+1.85%

Volatility

XTLT.TO vs. VLB.TO - Volatility Comparison

iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF (XTLT.TO) has a higher volatility of 3.14% compared to Vanguard Canadian Long-Term Bond Index ETF (VLB.TO) at 2.98%. This indicates that XTLT.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VLB.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XTLT.TO	VLB.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.14%	2.98%	+0.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.27%	6.21%	+1.06%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.21%	8.42%	+1.79%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.17%	12.42%	+1.75%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.17%	11.21%	+2.96%

XTLT.TO vs. VLB.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

XTLT.TO has a 0.18% expense ratio, which is higher than VLB.TO's 0.15% 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

XTLT.TO vs. VLB.TO - Dividend Comparison

XTLT.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.97%, more than VLB.TO's 3.88% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VLB.TO Vanguard Canadian Long-Term Bond Index ETF	3.88%	3.96%	3.78%	3.47%	3.75%	2.95%	2.80%	2.84%	3.43%	2.82%
XTLT.TO iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF	4.97%	4.60%	4.17%	2.85%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XTLT.TO and VLB.TO in my portfolio?

XTLT.TO and VLB.TO have a correlation of 0.70, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XTLT.TO or VLB.TO?

On fees, VLB.TO is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XTLT.TO or VLB.TO?

VLB.TO is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.18% for XTLT.TO.

What is the main difference between XTLT.TO and VLB.TO?

XTLT.TO is categorized as Government Bonds, while VLB.TO is Long-Term Bond. XTLT.TO tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index, while VLB.TO tracks Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Canadian 10+ Year Float Adjusted Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.18% for XTLT.TO and 0.15% for VLB.TO.