VTI vs VXUS Overlap: These Funds Are Made for Each Other
VTI covers the US market. VXUS covers every market outside the US. Zero company overlap. Together they approximate VT (Total World Stock) at a slightly lower combined expense ratio.
What the VTI and VXUS Overlap Means
VTI and VXUS do not overlap at all. VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) holds approximately 3,700 US-listed companies — nothing international. VXUS (Vanguard Total International Stock ETF) holds approximately 8,600 companies listed outside the United States — developed markets (Japan, UK, France, Germany, Australia) and emerging markets (China, India, Taiwan, South Korea). Apple is in VTI and not in VXUS. ASML is in VXUS and not in VTI.
This is the benchmark pair for building a global portfolio. The standard 3-fund portfolio uses VTI, VXUS, and BND as its three components. Together, VTI and VXUS approximate VT (Vanguard Total World Stock ETF) — the same global market portfolio, but split into two funds. The cost difference: VT charges 0.07%; a 60% VTI / 40% VXUS split costs approximately 0.04% annually (a blend of VTI's 0.03% and VXUS's 0.07%).
If you own VTI and want to add genuine diversification, VXUS is the right answer. It adds 8,600 companies you do not currently hold, across economies that are not highly correlated with the US market cycle. The 20-year correlation between US and international equity markets is roughly 0.85 — meaningfully below 1.0, which means genuine (if not dramatic) diversification benefit.
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Top-10 holdings data, updated regularly from public sources. Shared position counts reflect top-10 positions only — not full portfolio overlap. For broad market funds like VTI and VOO, true full-portfolio overlap is significantly higher than the top-10 figure. Nothing here is personalized financial advice. Full disclosures.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. VTI holds US-listed stocks only (~3,700 companies). VXUS holds internationally-listed stocks only (~8,600 companies). They hold different companies in different markets with no shared holdings.
Yes, if you want global equity exposure. VTI alone gives you only US market exposure (about 60% of global market cap). Adding VXUS adds the remaining 40% of global market cap — developed and emerging markets outside the US. Together they build the global equity market.
Approximately. VT (Vanguard Total World Stock ETF) holds both US and international stocks in a single fund. VTI + VXUS covers the same global market in two separate funds. VT costs 0.07%; a 60/40 VTI/VXUS split costs about 0.04%. The VTI+VXUS approach is slightly cheaper and lets you control your US/international allocation.
Global market-cap weighting is approximately 60% US (VTI) and 40% international (VXUS), which matches VT's allocation. Some investors use 70/30 or 80/20 to underweight international based on home-country bias or a US growth thesis. The 3-fund portfolio guide from Bogleheads often recommends somewhere in the 60-70% VTI range.
Approximately 8,600 stocks listed outside the United States. Developed markets (Japan, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Switzerland) make up roughly 75% of VXUS. Emerging markets (China, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Brazil) make up the remaining 25%. Top holdings include Nestle, Samsung, ASML, Toyota, TSMC, and similar international blue chips.