Dividend comparison

VT vs VTWAX: Which Is Better?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Vanguard Total World Stock ETF and Vanguard Total World Stock Index Fund Admiral Shares, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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VT vs VTWAX: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Income. Their trailing yields are almost the same: 1.53% for VT and 1.50% for VTWAX. VT pays annual, VTWAX pays quarterly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, VT returned 60.7% versus 60.5% for VTWAX, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $16,069 in VT and $16,049 in VTWAX.
  • Risk. Their worst declines over the last 5 years were similar: -26.4% for VT and -26.4% for VTWAX from peak to trough.
  • Diversification. VT holds 9,773 positions and VTWAX holds 100. The ten largest positions make up 22.3% of VT and 22.3% of VTWAX.
  • Overlap. At least 48% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 100 shared holdings.
  • Dividend growth. VTWAX grew its yearly payout 7.2% a year over the last 4 years, versus 7.1% for VT.

Bottom line: VT has the edge on these figures, with broader diversification. VTWAX does not lead on any of the measures compared here.

Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricVT
Vanguard Total World Stock ETF
VTWAX
Vanguard Total World Stock Index Fund Admiral Shares
Dividend yield (TTM)1.53%1.50%
Dividend / share (TTM)$2.41$0.84
Payout frequencyAnnualQuarterly
Last dividend$0.4084 on Sep 22, 2026$0.1405 on Sep 21, 2026
Ex-dividend dateSep 18, 2026Sep 18, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)7.1% over 4 yrs7.2% over 4 yrs
Price$157.80$55.85
Beta0.930.93
Max drawdown (5Y)-26.4%-26.4%
Market cap$101.30B$101.18B
ExchangeAMEXNASDAQ
Expense ratio0.06%—
Assets under management$101.20B—
Number of holdings9773100
Top 10 concentration22.3%22.3%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

VT

$12.75/mo

$153 /yr at 1.53% yield

VTWAX

$12.52/mo

$150 /yr at 1.50% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. VT pays annual; VTWAX pays quarterly.
YearVTVTWAX
2025$2.5732$0.8983
2024$2.2939$0.8014
2023$2.1419$0.7490
2022$1.8957$0.6610
2021$1.9550$0.6810
Strategy: Broad index
Low-cost funds that hold an entire market or index at market-cap weights and make no attempt to select securities. Return is the index return less a small fee, and dividends are a by-product of what the underlying companies choose to pay rather than an objective of the strategy. Differences between funds tracking the same index usually come down to fee, wrapper structure, share price and trading liquidity, not to holdings.

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 VTWAX actually do

VT
One fund holding the whole global stock market, around ten thousand companies across developed and emerging markets including the US.

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

Performance
Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Oct 20, 2021 would now be worth $16,069 in VT and $16,049 in VTWAX.
PeriodVTVTWAX
1 month-0.47%-0.57%
3 months1.95%1.90%
Year to date11.87%11.81%
1 year13.16%13.13%
3 years80.78%80.39%
5 years60.69%60.49%
  • VT
  • VTWAX
70121172202120222023202420252026161160

Both series indexed to 100 on 2021-10-20 using the adjusted closing price series. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Sector allocation
Weight of each sector within the fund. Sectors are aligned on the same row so the two funds can be read against each other directly.
  • VT
  • VTWAX
0%8%16%24%32%Technology31.9%Financial Services15.6%Industrials10.5%Healthcare8.5%Consumer Cyclical8.1%Communication Services7.2%Consumer Defensive4.3%Basic Materials4.1%Energy3.9%Utilities2.2%Other3.7%
VT vs VTWAX holdings overlap
At least 48% overlap by weight, with 100 holdings in common. Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for every stock both funds own, so 100% would mean identical portfolios.
Largest shared holdingsVT weightVTWAX weight
NVDANVIDIA Corp4.52%4.52%
AAPLApple Inc4.08%4.08%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp3.23%3.23%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc2.05%2.05%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc1.72%1.72%
2330.TWTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd1.62%1.62%
AVGOBroadcom Inc1.39%1.39%
METAMeta Platforms Inc1.35%1.35%
GOOGAlphabet Inc1.35%1.35%
MUMicron Technology Inc1.02%1.02%
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

VT9773 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA Corp4.52%
AAPLApple Inc4.08%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp3.23%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc2.05%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc1.72%
2330.TWTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd1.62%
AVGOBroadcom Inc1.39%
METAMeta Platforms Inc1.35%
GOOGAlphabet Inc1.35%
MUMicron Technology Inc1.02%

VTWAX100 holdings total

NameWeight
NVDANVIDIA Corp4.52%
AAPLApple Inc4.08%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp3.23%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc2.05%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc1.72%
2330.TWTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd1.62%
AVGOBroadcom Inc1.39%
METAMeta Platforms Inc1.35%
GOOGAlphabet Inc1.35%
MUMicron Technology Inc1.02%

Quick verdict

VT has the edge on these figures, with broader diversification. VTWAX does not lead on any of the measures compared here. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.

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Frequently asked questions

Is VT or VTWAX better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. VT currently yields 1.53% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while VTWAX yields 1.50%. Higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, but may come with different risk, growth, or NAV characteristics. Compare total return and payout sustainability — not just the headline yield.
What is the difference between VT and VTWAX?
Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Vanguard Total World Stock Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTWAX) is an ETF listed on NASDAQ. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.
Which has performed better, VT or VTWAX?
Over the last 5 years, VT has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: VT returned 60.7% and VTWAX returned 60.5%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, VT or VTWAX?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, VTWAX has been riskier: VT fell as much as 26.4% and VTWAX as much as 26.4%. Their betas are 0.93 and 0.93.
How much do VT and VTWAX overlap?
At least 48% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 100 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are NVDA, AAPL, MSFT. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.
How often do VT and VTWAX pay dividends?
VT pays annual and VTWAX pays quarterly.
How much income does $10,000 in VT vs VTWAX generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in VT would generate roughly $12.75 per month ($153 annually). The same amount in VTWAX would produce about $12.52 per month ($150 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both VT and VTWAX?
Yes. Many income investors hold both to diversify strategy or index exposure. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on overlapping holdings and factor exposure. Model both inside Dividend Wealth to see combined income, sector mix, and forecast impact.
Where can I compare VT vs VTWAX with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how VT and VTWAX fit alongside the rest of your portfolio. A 14-day free trial of Standard is available with no credit card required; a limited Free plan is also available.

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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.