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ACWV vs VDG

iShares MSCI Global Min Vol Factor ETF

ACWVBCboe

Vanguard Developed Markets ex US Growth Index ETF

VDGBCboe

Overlap

5.9%by weight

Expense ratio

VDG −0.12pt a year

ACWV0.20%VDG0.08%

Avg volume · 30D

ACWV 14.2×the volume

ACWV93.5KVDG6.6K

ACWV vs VDG Performance

Jul 31, 2026 – Oct 30, 2026

+4.0%ACWV−3.5%VDG

Jul 31, 2026 to Oct 30, 2026. ACWV +4.0%. VDG −3.5%. Use the arrow keys to read each point.−2%0%2%Jul 2026Sep 2026Oct 2026
Expense ratio
ACWV 0.20%
VDG 0.08%, better
Fund size
ACWV $3.44B
VDG $47M
1Y total return
ACWV +11.7%
VDG No data
Yield (12M)
ACWV 1.83%
VDG No data
Holdings
ACWV 407
VDG 593
Avg volume (30D)
ACWV 93.5K sh, better
VDG 6.6K sh
NAV per share
ACWV $129.38
VDG $75.96
52W range

ETF.net Grade

ACWV: Cost 89, Risk 77, Mission 25, Tradability 83, Holdings 76, Durability 76. VDG: Cost 100, Risk 33, Mission not scored, Tradability 6, Holdings 63, Durability 27.
Pillar letters and Scores for ACWV, VDG, with each pillar’s weight
PillarACWVVDG
Cost30% weightA89A100Higher
Mission25% weightD25Not scored
Risk15% weightA77HigherD33
Tradability15% weightA83HigherF6
Holdings10% weightA76HigherB63
Durability5% weightA76HigherD27

Rank among International Factor Index funds

How we build Categories ›
Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Same Category. ACWV and VDG are both graded against the same 15 International Factor Index funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

International Factor Index⁠

Category · 15 funds
See all 15 ›

ACWV ranks 2nd and VDG 7th of 15 funds in the International Factor Index Category.

  1. Rank 1AEFAViShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETFScore 75
  2. Rank 2BACWViShares MSCI Global Min Vol Factor ETFScore 68
  3. Rank 3BIDLVInvesco S&P International Developed Low Volatility ETFScore 66
  4. Rank 7BIMTMiShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETFScore 58
  5. Rank 7BVDGVanguard Developed Markets ex US Growth Index ETFScore 58
  6. Rank 9CGMOIGMO International Value ETFScore 52

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

ACWVBiShares MSCI Global Min Vol Factor ETF

VDGBVanguard Developed Markets ex US Growth Index ETF

In short

ACWV Global min vol in one ticker: an optimizer sifts the MSCI ACWI universe, developed and emerging, for the lowest-risk mix of roughly 400 stocks. Same playbook since 2011, at 0.20% a year.

VDG No data

Stated mandate

ACWV The fund seeks to track an index of developed and emerging market equities that collectively exhibit lower volatility than the broader developed and emerging equity markets.

VDG No data

Why people hold it

  • ACWV 0.20% a year for a globally optimized factor build, well under the 0.41% median for international factor ETFs.
  • Not a simple low-vol screen. The index optimizes the MSCI ACWI for the lowest absolute risk within a set of constraints, so how stocks move together shapes the weights.msci.com
  • One ticker for the whole map. The developed-only sibling EFAV charges the same 0.20%; ACWV folds emerging markets into the same wrapper.
  • Running since 2011 with billions in assets, it sits among the stronger implementations in its international factor peer group.

VDG No data

Worth knowing

  • ACWV Minimum volatility is the aim, not a floor. iShares states the fund may experience more than minimum volatility, with no guarantee the index strategy lowers it.ishares.com
  • Emerging markets ride along inside this defensive build, bringing the political and economic swings iShares flags as heightened in those markets.ishares.com
  • By design it leans away from the cap-weighted world index, so its country and sector mix can look quite different and its path can diverge in either direction.msci.com

VDG No data

Full ACWV profile⁠

Full VDG profile⁠

ACWV vs VDG Holdings

How ACWV and VDG differ

Overlap by weight

5.9%

Shared holdings make up 17.6% of VDG and 11.2% of ACWV.

Level by level

  • Holdings52 in both5.9%
  • Countryby domicile17.2%
  • Asset classEquity100%

Sector

No Sector split for VDG.

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Country weights in ACWV and VDG, widest gap first
CountryMore in ACWVMore in VDG
United StatesACWV +66.6 points
United KingdomVDG +11.5 points
JapanVDG +9.7 points
South KoreaVDG +9.1 points
CanadaVDG +8.2 points
ChinaACWV +6.8 points
GermanyVDG +6.5 points
FranceVDG +6.3 points
Other countries (21)VDG +22.0 points

Outside the US: ACWV 51% developed, 49% emerging. VDG 90% developed, 10% emerging.

Concentration

Weight in the 10 largest Holdings

  • ACWV12.1%
  • VDG22.4%

Securities held

  • ACWV378
  • VDG578

Asset class

ACWV
Equity
VDG
Equity

Holdings

  • Only in ACWV326
  • In both52
  • Only in VDG526

Only in ACWV

326 securities, 88.4% of ACWV by weight

  • Johnson & Johnson1.48%
  • Microsoft1.35%
  • Motorola Solutions Inc1.34%

Only in VDG

526 securities, 82.3% of VDG by weight

  • Samsung Electronics Co Ltd2.34%
  • HSBC Holdings PLC2.18%
  • Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc1.77%

Weight gaps

All 52 Holdings in both funds, largest gap first.

Holding weights in ACWV and VDG, widest gap first
HoldingMore in ACWVMore in VDG
Sk HynixVDG +4.73 points
Asml HoldingVDG +4.03 points
SapVDG +1.05 points
Dbs Group Holdings LtdVDG +0.50 points
IberdrolaVDG +0.35 points
East Japan RailwayACWV +0.35 points
Constellation SoftwareACWV +0.31 points
Otsuka HoldingsACWV +0.31 points

All 378 ACWV holdings⁠All VDG holdings⁠

How we measure overlap

Each holding counts at its smaller weight in the two funds, summed over the full Holdings. Sector, country and asset class use the same rule on each fund’s split. Cash, FX and derivative lines stay out of the counts. Two bond funds get no overlap figure.

ACWV vs VDG Cost

Overpaying ACWV vs VDG

$2,466

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

  • ACWV 0.20%

    $4,155

  • VDG 0.08%

    $1,689

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • ACWV 0.20%
  • VDG 0.08%
  • Overpaying
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$1K$2K$3K$4K$5K051015202530ACWV $4,155VDG $1,689

Year by year

YearACWVVDGOverpaying
10$365$147$218
20$1,421$575$846
30$4,155$1,689$2,466

Expense ratio

  • 0.20%ACWV
  • 0.08%VDG, cheaper
  • Middle half of International Factor Index funds
  • Median 0.34%

VDG cheapest of 15 funds

ACWV 2nd cheapest of 15 funds

ACWV vs VDG Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026
Yield (12M)
ACWV 1.83%
VDG No data
Payout (12M)
ACWV $2.36
VDG No data
Last payment
ACWV $1.07
VDG $0.27
Ex-dividend
ACWV Jun 15, 2026
VDG Sep 18, 2026
Paid on
ACWV Jun 18, 2026
VDG Sep 22, 2026
Frequency
ACWV Twice a year
VDG Quarterly

Distribution history

Per share, 2017 to 2026, same scale for both

ACWVTwice a year · 19 paymentsAll ACWV payments⁠
One bar per payment. 19 payments from 2017 to 2026 YTD. Jun 20, 2017 $0.85; Dec 19, 2017 $0.87; Jun 19, 2018 $0.90; Dec 18, 2018 $0.99; Jun 17, 2019 $1.02; Dec 16, 2019 $1.41; Jun 15, 2020 $0.92; Dec 14, 2020 $0.79; Jun 10, 2021 $0.95; Dec 13, 2021 $1.13; Jun 9, 2022 $0.87; Dec 13, 2022 $1.20; Jun 7, 2023 $0.87; Dec 20, 2023 $1.55; Jun 11, 2024 $0.91; Dec 17, 2024 $1.63; Jun 16, 2025 $1.18; Dec 16, 2025 $1.30; Jun 15, 2026 $1.07. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$12017202020232026YTD
VDGQuarterly · 2 paymentsAll VDG payments⁠
One bar per payment. 2 payments from 2017 to 2026 YTD. Jun 18, 2026 $0.25; Sep 18, 2026 $0.27. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$12017202020232026YTD

ACWV vs VDG Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

This chart needs five years of history for both funds.

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years
ACWV 8.7%VDG No data
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years
ACWV 1.03VDG No data
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years
ACWV −18.1%VDG No data
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years
ACWV 0.53VDG 0.94

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