βš”οΈ Head to head

VEU vs IWLD: Which ETF Is Better?

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

VEU comes out ahead on 5 of 9 measures. Which matters most depends on you.

They are quite different funds. Only 18% of their portfolios overlap, so this is a choice between two different strategies, not just two providers.

The short answer

πŸ’ΈLower feeVEU wins
VEU
0.07%
IWLD
0.09%

Worth about $1,426 on $100,000 over 20 years.

🏦Bigger fundVEU wins
VEU
$6.5bn
IWLD
$2.0bn

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

πŸ“ˆ1-year returnVEU wins
VEU
+14.0%
IWLD
+10.4%
πŸ“Š3-year returnIWLD wins
VEU
+16.5% a yr
IWLD
+18.3% a yr
🏁5-year returnIWLD wins
VEU
+9.2% a yr
IWLD
+12.3% a yr
βš–οΈCheaper to tradeToo close to call
VEU
0.03%
IWLD
0.04%

VEU vs IWLD side by side

VEU leads on 5, IWLD on 4VEUVanguard All-World ex US Shares Index ETFIWLDiShares Core MSCI World All Cap ETF
The basics
Index trackedFTSE All-World ex US IndexSee the PDS
Fund managerVanguardiShares
Asset classInternational sharesInternational shares
ListedMay 2009Apr 2016
Cost and size
MERyearly fee, lower is better0.07%βœ“0.09%
AUMfund size$6.5bnβœ“$2.0bn
Net flows (Sep)new money in, last month$133mβœ“$68m
Bid/ask spreadtrading cost, lower is better0.03%0.04%
Total returns
1 month+0.9%+1.8%βœ“
1 year+14.0%βœ“+10.4%
3 years p.a.+16.5%+18.3%βœ“
5 years p.a.+9.2%+12.3%βœ“
$10,000 invested
1 year ago$11,398βœ“$11,044
5 years ago$15,503$17,863βœ“

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

VEU vs IWLD 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 VEU 5 years ago is worth $15,503 today, against $17,863 in IWLD. That is $2,360 more in IWLD.

VEUIWLD$10,000 invested
$0k$6k$12k$18k$24k$11.4k$11.0k1 year agoVEU +$354$15.8k$16.6k3 years agoIWLD +$760$15.5k$17.9k5 years agoIWLD +$2,360

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

VEU's lower fee leaves about $1,426 more in your pocket over 20 years.

VEU charges 0.07% a yearIWLD charges 0.09% a year
🧾 Fees paid on $100,000Saving
5 years
VEU
βˆ’$458
IWLD
βˆ’$589
You keep$131more with VEU
10 years
VEU
βˆ’$1,283
IWLD
βˆ’$1,648
You keep$365more with VEU
20 years
VEU
βˆ’$5,032
IWLD
βˆ’$6,458
You keep$1,426more with VEU

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.

VEU and IWLD overlap

18%portfolio overlap (low: they are quite different underneath)

108 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.

Biggest shared holdings% of VEU% of IWLD
1.50%1.38%
0.68%0.67%
0.68%0.66%
0.63%0.64%
0.49%0.46%
0.47%0.43%
0.55%0.42%
0.43%0.42%
0.41%0.36%
0.37%0.34%
0.37%0.33%
0.36%0.33%

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.

Free PDF report

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  • Every holding of each ETF: the top 50 companies, with sectors and countries
  • Exactly which companies they share, and how much of each
  • Fees in dollars over 10, 20 and 30 years
  • Every metric side by side, including the index each tracks
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Joshua Stega
etfadviserExchange traded fund specialist adviser Β· 20 years’ experience
Keep in touch with the marketsWeekly ETF research, the Market Health-O-Meter and our model portfolio.Try it free for 30 days β†’

FAQs

Which is better, VEU or IWLD?

It depends on what you need. On our numbers VEU wins on 5 measures and IWLD on 4. VEU is cheaper, with a management fee of 0.07% vs 0.09%. On $100,000 over 20 years that difference is worth about $1,426. VEU is the larger fund at $6.5bn vs $2.0bn. VEU has the better 1-year return: +14.0% vs +10.4%.

Which is cheaper, VEU or IWLD?

VEU charges 0.07% a year and IWLD charges 0.09% a year.

Can I hold both VEU and IWLD?

You can, but check how much they overlap. VEU is a international shares fund and IWLD is a international shares fund.

More comparisons

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Add more ETFs to this comparison β†’

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