Dividend comparison
VT vs QQQ: Which Is Better?
Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Vanguard Total World Stock ETF and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.
- Fees. VT is cheaper at 0.06% a year versus 0.18% for QQQ. On $10,000 that is $12 a year less in fees.
- Income. VT pays more income, yielding 1.53% over the last twelve months versus 0.53% for QQQ. That is about $100 more a year on $10,000. Both pay annual.
- Performance. Over the last 5 years, QQQ returned 97.0% versus 60.7% for VT, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $19,698 in QQQ and $16,069 in VT.
- Risk. QQQ has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -35.1%, against -26.4% for VT.
- Diversification. VT holds 9,773 positions and QQQ holds 102. The ten largest positions make up 22.3% of VT and 47.2% of QQQ.
- Overlap. At least 28% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 32 shared holdings.
- Dividend growth. QQQ grew its yearly payout 13.3% a year over the last 4 years, versus 7.1% for VT.
- Size. QQQ is the larger fund with $487.5 billion in assets, against $101.2 billion for VT.
Bottom line: VT fits better if you care most about lower fees, more income today, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. QQQ fits better if you care most about stronger 5-year returns and faster dividend growth.
| Metric | VT Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | QQQ Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield (TTM) | 1.53% | 0.53% |
| Dividend / share (TTM) | $2.41 | $3.79 |
| Payout frequency | Annual | Annual |
| Last dividend | $0.4084 on Sep 22, 2026 | $0.7514 on Oct 8, 2026 |
| Ex-dividend date | Sep 18, 2026 | Dec 21, 2026 |
| Next payment | — | $0.7941 on Dec 28, 2026 |
| Dividend growth (CAGR) | 7.1% over 4 yrs | 13.3% over 4 yrs |
| Price | $157.80 | $717.63 |
| Beta | 0.93 | 1.23 |
| Max drawdown (5Y) | -26.4% | -35.1% |
| Market cap | $101.30B | $479.05B |
| Exchange | AMEX | NASDAQ |
| Expense ratio | 0.06% | 0.18% |
| Assets under management | $101.20B | $487.46B |
| Number of holdings | 9773 | 102 |
| Top 10 concentration | 22.3% | 47.2% |
VT
$12.75/mo
$153 /yr at 1.53% yield
QQQ
$4.40/mo
$53 /yr at 0.53% yield
| Year | VT | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2.5732 | $2.7949 |
| 2024 | $2.2939 | $3.0623 |
| 2023 | $2.1419 | $2.3200 |
| 2022 | $1.8957 | $2.1351 |
| 2021 | $1.9550 | $1.6968 |
Current income is low and outside your control, so these need pairing with something else if the portfolio has to produce cash today.
What VT vs QQQ actually do
It tracks the FTSE Global All Cap Index at market-cap weights, so US companies make up the majority of the fund simply because they are the majority of world market value, with the remainder spread across developed international and emerging markets. Weights shift as those markets grow or shrink relative to each other, so the allocation decision is made by the market rather than by you. Holding non-US companies brings currency exposure and foreign withholding tax, and the headline yield is usually a little higher than a US-only fund because many international companies pay out more of their earnings.
Suits an investor who wants a single, permanently self-rebalancing global equity holding and no home-country judgment call. Not for someone who wants to control their US weighting deliberately, and not an income fund.
Core holding, global
The index is modified market-cap weighted and excludes financials by rule, which is why it lands so heavily in technology, communication services and consumer discretionary names. In December 2025 the fund converted from a unit investment trust to a conventional open-end fund and cut its fee, so it can now reinvest income and lend securities like its peers. It remains the most liquid Nasdaq-100 vehicle by a wide margin and the reference asset for a large share of the options-income products in this category.
Suits investors who want concentrated large-cap growth exposure and anyone who needs deep options liquidity. Dividends are incidental, so it does not answer an income mandate on its own.
Growth-tilted core, concentrated
| Period | VT | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | -0.47% | -0.43% |
| 3 months | 1.95% | 3.10% |
| Year to date | 11.87% | 17.09% |
| 1 year | 13.16% | 17.78% |
| 3 years | 80.78% | 105.61% |
| 5 years | 60.69% | 96.98% |
- VT
- QQQ
Both series indexed to 100 on 2021-10-20 using the adjusted closing price series. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
- VT
- QQQ
| Largest shared holdings | VT weight | QQQ weight |
|---|---|---|
| NVDANVIDIA Corp | 4.52% | 8.17% |
| AAPLApple Inc | 4.08% | 7.82% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 3.23% | 6.19% |
| AMZNAmazon.com Inc | 2.05% | 4.42% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc | 1.72% | 3.15% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 1.39% | 2.49% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 1.35% | 3.28% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 1.35% | 2.94% |
| MUMicron Technology Inc | 1.02% | 4.41% |
| TSLATesla Inc | 0.88% | 3.02% |
VT9773 holdings total
Quick verdict
VT fits better if you care most about lower fees, more income today, smaller drawdowns and broader diversification. QQQ fits better if you care most about stronger 5-year returns and faster dividend growth. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
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For informational and educational purposes only. Not investment advice. Past performance and current yields do not guarantee future results. Verify figures independently before making investment decisions.