What five years of weekly data say
- VTI returned +11.8% a year and VEA +9.8% a year over the past five years, dividends reinvested.
- VEA was the calmer ride: 16% annual volatility, against 17%.
- Move together (correlation 0.81). Most weeks they go the same way. Owning both spreads company risk, not market risk.
- VEA pays more income: a 2.49% yield, against 1.03% for VTI.
The numbers side by side
| Metric | VTVTI | VEVEA |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $375.43 | $71.38 |
| Fund size | $2.34T | $323.82B |
| 1-year return | +15.6% | +22.5% (ahead) |
| 3-year return, a year | +22.1% (ahead) | +20.6% |
| 5-year return, a year | +11.8% (ahead) | +9.8% |
| Volatility, a year | 17% | 16% (ahead) |
| Worst drawdown | −25% (ahead) | −29% |
| Worst week | −9.1%Mar 2025 | −8.5% (ahead)Mar 2025 |
| Beta | 1.02 | 0.98 |
| Dividend yield | 1.03% | 2.49% |
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.03% |
Do VTI and VEA move together?
Correlation compares VTI’s and VEA’s weekly returns from Sep 2021 to Sep 2026. Two holdings near +1 fall on the same weeks, so owning both doesn’t cushion anything. Your portfolio has more than two lines, and Portfolio Terminal runs this check across every pair you hold.
How far each one fell
VTI
−25%
From its Nov 2021 high to Oct 2022. Back at that high by Dec 2023.
VEA
−29%
From its Nov 2021 high to Oct 2022. Back at that high by Feb 2024.
Worst peak-to-trough fall on weekly closes · dividends reinvested
How much of it is the same money
VTI vs VEA: what people ask
Is VTI better than VEA?
Over the past five years, VTI delivered the higher return: +11.8% a year against +9.8% for VEA, dividends reinvested. Its worst fall was also shallower (−25% against −29%). Which is better depends on the job it does in your portfolio, and past returns don’t predict future ones.
What is the difference between VTI and VEA?
VTI is Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF, a fund with $2.34T in assets. VEA is Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF, a fund with $323.82B in assets. VTI charges 0.03% a year and VEA 0.03%.
Should I own both VTI and VEA?
Their weekly returns had a correlation of 0.81 over the past five years. Most weeks they go the same way. Owning both spreads company risk, not market risk. Whether that suits you depends on everything else you hold, which is the check Portfolio Terminal runs across a whole portfolio.
Which is riskier, VTI or VEA?
VTI swung more: 17% annual volatility against 16% for VEA. At their worst, VTI fell 25% and VEA 29% from a previous high. Against the broad market, their betas are 1.02 and 0.98.
Which pays a higher dividend, VTI or VEA?
VEA currently yields 2.49%, against 1.03% for VTI. Yields move with price, so a higher yield can also mean a falling price.
Which is cheaper to hold, VTI or VEA?
Both charge 0.03% a year, so cost doesn’t separate them.
Returns use weekly closes adjusted for dividends and splits, from Sep 2021 to Sep 2026. Quotes, fees and holdings come from public market data and refresh hourly. This page describes what happened; it is not investment advice, and past performance doesn’t predict future returns.