Compare/Updated Oct 26, 2026, refreshed every trading day
VT vs SPY
Vanguard Total World Stock ETF against State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF: 4 years of returns, risk and today’s technical read, from Kavout’s own data.
SPY did better over the period: $1,000 invested on Oct 28, 2022 would be worth $2,052 versus $1,993 for VT, a 105.2% versus 99.3% gain. SPY also led over 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, YTD, 1 year, and 3 years. The difference reflects stronger recent performance from U.S. large-cap stocks compared with VT’s globally diversified portfolio. SPY nevertheless had lower 12-month volatility, 12.7% versus VT’s 14.0%, but experienced a larger worst drawdown: -18.8% versus -16.5%. VT offers broader global diversification and a lower expense ratio, 0.06% versus 0.09%, while SPY has substantially larger assets and stronger returns over this period. Their daily moves were highly correlated at 0.963, so diversification reduced, but did not eliminate, overlap in performance.
- Price is above its 200-day average ($152); 50-day at $159.
- RSI 40, neutral. Supertrend says sell. ADX 17, so the trend is weak.
- Price is above its 200-day average ($725); 50-day at $767.
- RSI 42, neutral. Supertrend says sell. ADX 14, so the trend is weak.
Head to head
Which has returned more, VT or SPY?
VT beat SPY in 20 of the last 48 months; SPY won the other 28. The typical monthly gap was 0.74 points.
Total return by period
Which is riskier?
VT: Feb 18, 2025 to Apr 8, 2025; SPY: Feb 19, 2025 to Apr 8, 2025
- 0.963
- correlation of daily moves, 4 years
- 0.92
- VT move per 1% in SPY
- 0.961
- correlation, last 12 months
Month by month
Of the last 48 months. The typical gap was 0.74 points.
When did they diverge?
| Month | VT | SPY | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2022 | +8.3% | +5.6% | +2.72 pts |
| February 2026 | +1.6% | -0.9% | +2.51 pts |
| March 2025 | -3.5% | -5.6% | +2.05 pts |
| June 2024 | +1.6% | +3.5% | -1.94 pts |
Where the numbers come from. 1000 daily adjusted closes per fund from the Kavout market-data API, dividends included. Signals and indicators are Kavout’s own, refreshed nightly. Every figure is calculated from those adjusted closes.
Holdings and fees
What do you actually own with VT and SPY?
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