Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
VGK vs VWO: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, VGK returned +10.4% to VWO's +4.8%; 0% of their weight is in the same names.
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Net assets on Sep 30, 2026: $29.6bn for Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF and $125.4bn for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF.
Pair scorecard
Both cost 0.06% a year; their one-year returns differ by 5.6 points; VWO is 4.2 times larger.
| Measure | VGK | VWO |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +10.4% | +4.8% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 6.1%, high on Aug 25, 2026 | 7.0%, high on Sep 4, 2026 |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | FTSE Developed Europe All Cap Index | FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.06% | 0.06% |
| Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026 | $29.6bn | $125.4bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 0% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 19.0% | 29.8% |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated Sep 30, 2026. Method
Risk and return
Mar 18, 2005 to Oct 23, 2026 · 1,127 weekly returnsVWO returned more: +309.0% to +270.3%. VGK swung slightly less: 20.9% to 22.3%. VGK fell slightly less at its worst: −62.1% to −63.8%.
Full scorecard
9 measures, with how each is measured Open ↓
| Measure | VGK | VWO | Edge | How it is measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Return | ||||
| Total return | +270.3% | +309.0% | VWO | Price change plus distributions, reinvested. |
| Annualized | +6.2% | +6.7% | VWO (slight) | Total return as a yearly rate. |
| Price return | +71.8% | +133.1% | VWO | Price change alone, distributions left out. |
| Risk | ||||
| Volatility | 20.9% | 22.3% | VGK (slight) | Spread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier. |
| Downside deviation | 15.1% | 15.8% | VGK (slight) | Like volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate. |
| Max drawdown | −62.1% | −63.8% | VGK (slight) | Deepest fall from a high to the low after it. |
| Risk-adjusted | ||||
| Sharpe | 0.31 | 0.32 | VWO (slight) | Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility. |
| Sortino | 0.43 | 0.46 | VWO (slight) | Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation. |
| Calmar | 0.10 | 0.11 | VWO (slight) | Annualized return divided by the max drawdown. |
Computed by ETFIQ from Tiingo daily prices and ETFIQ's distribution records, 1,127 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, VGK and VWO hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Sep 30, 2026.
half
0% in common
Only in one fund ↓
Side by side
VGK and VWO on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
VGK and VWO do different jobs. What does each one do in a portfolio?
- What each follows. VGK follows FTSE Developed Europe All Cap Index and VWO follows FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index.
- Holdings in common. 0% of the weight is in the same securities (holdings dated Sep 30, 2026).
- One-year total return. Over 1 year to Oct 28, 2026 VGK returned +10.4% and VWO +4.8% with distributions reinvested, a gap of 5.6 points.
Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
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VGK
VGK tracks an index of European Stock. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +10.4% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.06% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Sep 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 1,245 positions, with the top ten at 19.0%. It sat 6.1% below its high of Aug 25, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
VWO
VWO tracks an index of Emerging markets. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +4.8% with distributions reinvested. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Sep 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 6,515 positions, with the top ten at 29.8%. It sat 7.0% below its high of Sep 4, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
Questions people ask
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How this is computed
Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for each security both funds hold.
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ETFIQ, VGK against VWO, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vgk-vs-vwo
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). VGK against VWO. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vgk-vs-vwo
[VGK against VWO (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vgk-vs-vwo)
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