βš”οΈ Head to head

MVA vs REIT: Which ETF Is Better?

A side-by-side comparison of fees, size, returns and holdings, using data to 30 September 2026.

MVA comes out ahead on 6 of 9 measures. Which matters most depends on you.

The big difference is currency. REIT is currency hedged, so its returns ignore moves in the Australian dollar. MVA is unhedged: it does better when the dollar falls and worse when it rises.

The short answer

πŸ’ΈLower feeREIT wins
MVA
0.35%
REIT
0.20%

Worth about $10,332 on $100,000 over 20 years.

🏦Bigger fundMVA wins
MVA
$825m
REIT
$798m

Bigger funds usually trade more cheaply and are less likely to close.

πŸ“ˆ1-year returnREIT wins
MVA
βˆ’11.2%
REIT
+6.4%
πŸ“Š3-year returnMVA wins
MVA
+9.7% a yr
REIT
+8.9% a yr
🏁5-year returnMVA wins
MVA
+2.5% a yr
REIT
βˆ’0.5% a yr
βš–οΈCheaper to tradeToo close to call
MVA
0.09%
REIT
0.11%

MVA vs REIT side by side

MVA leads on 6, REIT on 3MVAVanEck Australian Property ETFREITVanEck FTSE International Property (AUD Hedged) ETF
The basics
Index trackedMVIS Australia A-REITs IndexFTSE EPRA Nareit Developed ex Australia Rental Index, hedged to AUD
Fund managerVanEckVanEck
Asset classProperty & infrastructureProperty & infrastructure
ListedOct 2013Apr 2019
Cost and size
MERyearly fee, lower is better0.35%0.20%βœ“
AUMfund size$825mβœ“$798m
Net flows (Sep)new money in, last month$43mβœ“$22m
Bid/ask spreadtrading cost, lower is better0.09%0.11%
Total returns
1 monthβˆ’1.8%βœ“βˆ’4.9%
1 yearβˆ’11.2%+6.4%βœ“
3 years p.a.+9.7%βœ“+8.9%
5 years p.a.+2.5%βœ“βˆ’0.5%
$10,000 invested
1 year ago$8,876$10,640βœ“
5 years ago$11,297βœ“$9,767

βœ“ marks the better figure on each measure. Returns include distributions, to 30 September 2026.

MVA vs REIT price chart

Both ETFs on one chart as % change. Use the 1D to All buttons to change the period. Price only, so it leaves out distributions Β· TradingView

πŸ“ˆ Growth

What $10,000 invested is worth now

$10,000 put into MVA 5 years ago is worth $11,297 today, against $9,767 in REIT. That is $1,530 more in MVA.

MVAREIT$10,000 invested
$0k$4k$8k$12k$16k$8.9k$10.6k1 year agoREIT +$1,764$13.2k$12.9k3 years agoMVA +$317$11.3k$9.8k5 years agoMVA +$1,530

Total returns to 30 September 2026, with distributions reinvested, before tax and brokerage. The price chart above leaves out distributions, so it can look worse. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

πŸ’Έ Cost

What the fees cost you

REIT's lower fee leaves about $10,332 more in your pocket over 20 years.

MVA charges 0.35% a yearREIT charges 0.20% a year
🧾 Fees paid on $100,000Saving
5 years
MVA
βˆ’$2,279
REIT
βˆ’$1,306
You keep$973more with REIT
10 years
MVA
βˆ’$6,341
REIT
βˆ’$3,646
You keep$2,695more with REIT
20 years
MVA
βˆ’$24,544
REIT
βˆ’$14,212
You keep$10,332more with REIT

Total fees paid on a $100,000 investment, assuming a 7% a year return before fees. Illustration only: it ignores tax, brokerage and differences in returns.

MVA and REIT overlap

0%portfolio overlap (low: they are quite different underneath)

0 companies appear in both funds. Overlap is the share of the portfolio that is the same in both, counting the smaller weight of each shared company.

Add more ETFs and see the overlap in Compare ETFs β†’

Best-endeavours estimate. Built from each issuer's published holdings, which may be weeks or months old, may cover only part of a fund (some publish only their top 10) and are matched by company name. Figures may be incomplete or inaccurate. Check the issuer's website and PDS before relying on them. General information only.

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Joshua Stega
etfadviserExchange traded fund specialist adviser Β· 20 years’ experience
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FAQs

Which is better, MVA or REIT?

It depends on what you need. On our numbers MVA wins on 6 measures and REIT on 3. REIT is cheaper, with a management fee of 0.20% vs 0.35%. On $100,000 over 20 years that difference is worth about $10,332. MVA is the larger fund at $825m vs $798m. REIT has the better 1-year return: +6.4% vs βˆ’11.2%.

Which is cheaper, MVA or REIT?

MVA charges 0.35% a year and REIT charges 0.20% a year.

Can I hold both MVA and REIT?

You can, but check how much they overlap. MVA is a property & infrastructure fund and REIT is a property & infrastructure fund.

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General information only, not a recommendation. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.