VXUS vs VT: A Building Block vs a Complete Portfolio
Same fund family, same 0.07% fee, very different jobs. VXUS is the international piece you add to a US fund. VT is the whole world already assembled. The question is whether you want to control the US-to-international mix yourself.
VXUS holds international stocks only, both developed and emerging markets, with no US exposure at all. It is designed to be paired with a US fund like VTI or VOO so you can set your own US-to-international ratio. VT holds the entire global market in one fund, US included, in market-cap weights, so today that is roughly 60% US and 40% international, and it rebalances that split automatically as markets move. Both charge 0.07%. The choice comes down to control versus simplicity. If you want to decide how much international you hold, for example tilting to 20% or 40%, you pair VXUS with a US fund and set the ratio yourself. If you would rather own the whole world in one ticker and never think about the split, VT does it for you. One thing not to do is hold both VT and VXUS, because VT already contains everything VXUS holds, so the combination just double-counts your international stocks.
📋 VXUS vs VT — Key Facts Side by Side
| Metric | VXUS | VT |
|---|---|---|
| Fund Name | Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | Vanguard Total World Stock ETF |
| Issuer | Vanguard | Vanguard |
| Tracks Index | FTSE Global All Cap ex US | FTSE Global All Cap |
| Expense Ratio | 0.07% | 0.07% |
| Cost per $10K/yr | $7.00 | $7.00 |
| AUM | $153B | $35B |
| Holdings | 8,500 | 9,500 |
| Inception | 2011 | 2008 |
| 1-Year Return | +13.00% | +18.50% |
| 3-Year Return | +3.50% | +7.20% |
| 5-Year Return | +8.00% | +12.50% |
| Avg Bid-Ask Spread | 0.02% | 0.02% |
Data from ETF BFF database. Returns are annualised. Not investment advice.
📊 VXUS vs VT — Annualised Returns
Annualised returns (trailing, price-based). Past performance does not guarantee future results.
🎯 Should You Buy VXUS or VT?
- You want geographic diversification beyond US stocks
- You already use Vanguard and prefer staying within their fund family
- You want geographic diversification beyond US stocks
- You already use Vanguard and prefer staying within their fund family
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❓ VXUS vs VT — Frequently Asked Questions
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