Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IBB vs VEA: how they differ
IBB and VEA hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and IBB returned more over the year.
iShares Biotechnology ETF and Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, IBB and VEA hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in IBB | Only in VEA |
|---|---|
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 8.09% | ASML Holding NV 2.37% |
| Amgen, Inc. 7.84% | Samsung Electronics Co Ltd 1.56% |
| Gilead Sciences, Inc. 6.85% | SK hynix Inc 1.40% |
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 4.91% | HSBC Holdings PLC 1.01% |
| Argenx SE 3.76% | Novartis AG 0.91% |
| Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 3.12% | Royal Bank of Canada 0.90% |
| Natera, Inc. 2.89% | AstraZeneca PLC 0.87% |
| Revolution Medicines, Inc. 2.78% | Nestle SA 0.82% |
Weight overlap is an ETFIQ calculation: for every security both funds hold, the smaller of the two weights, summed. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Jun 30, 2026.
| IBB iShares Biotechnology ETF | VEA Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | Vanguard |
| What it is | Biotechnology | Developed markets ex US |
| Total return, 1 year | +41.5% | +24.5% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +24.0 pts | +7.0 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.44% | 0.03% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 35.6% | 0.0% |
| Holdings | 248 | 3870 |
IBB in plain words
IBB is an index equity fund tracking the Biotechnology. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +41.5% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.44% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 36% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 248 positions, with the top ten at 44.8%. It sat 6.5% below its high of Aug 19, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
VEA in plain words
VEA is an index equity fund tracking the Developed markets ex US. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +24.5% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 3870 positions, with the top ten at 13.2%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IBB or VEA?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IBB returned +41.5% and VEA returned +24.5%, so IBB returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IBB or VEA?
- IBB charges 0.44% a year and VEA charges 0.03%, so VEA is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do IBB and VEA overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 36% of IBB and 0% of VEA by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 0% of their books are the same securities at the same weight.
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, IBB against VEA, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/IBB-VEA Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources