IXUS vs VXUS: Grades, Fees and Holdings Compared

iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF

IXUSANasdaq

Vanguard Total International Stock ETF

VXUSANasdaq

Overlap

85.4%by weight

Expense ratio

VXUS −0.02pt a year

IXUS0.07%VXUS0.05%

Avg volume · 30D

VXUS 2.6×the volume

IXUS2MVXUS5.27M

10Y return · a year

IXUS+9.1%VXUS+9.1%

IXUS vs VXUS Performance

Oct 29, 2021 – Oct 30, 2026

+47.5%IXUS+47.5%VXUS

Expense ratio: IXUS 0.07%; VXUS 0.05%, better
Fund size: IXUS $56.8B; VXUS $649B
1Y total return: IXUS +13.5%, better; VXUS +13.2%
Yield (12M): IXUS 3.04%, better; VXUS 2.41%
Holdings: IXUS 4596; VXUS 8905
Avg volume (30D): IXUS 2M sh; VXUS 5.27M sh, better
NAV per share: IXUS $92.10; VXUS $82.18
52W range

ETF.net Grade

Pillar letters and Scores for IXUS, VXUS, with each pillar’s weight
Pillar	IXUS	VXUS
Cost30% weight	A70	A81Higher
Mission25% weight	A100	A100
Risk15% weight	B55	B55
Tradability15% weight	A78Higher	A73
Holdings10% weight	A76Higher	A74
Durability5% weight	B67	A86Higher

Rank among Total International Market funds

How we build Categories ›

Same Category. IXUS and VXUS are both graded against the same 8 Total International Market funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Total International Market⁠

Category · 8 funds

See all 8 ›

VXUS ranks 1st and IXUS 3rd of 8 funds in the Total International Market Category.

Rank 1AVXUSVanguard Total International Stock ETFScore 80
Rank 2AVEUVanguard FTSE All-World ex-US ETFScore 79
Rank 3AIXUSiShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETFScore 76
Rank 4BDFAXDimensional World ex U.S. Core Equity 2 ETFScore 64

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

IXUSAiShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF

VXUSAVanguard Total International Stock ETF

In short

IXUS One ticker for the stock market outside the US: developed and emerging, mega caps down to small caps, roughly 4,300 stocks, for 0.07% a year. The whole rest of the world in a single line item.

VXUS Everything outside the US in one ticker: roughly 8,600 stocks across developed and emerging markets, large caps down to small, for 0.05% a year. Vanguard's answer to international investing is to just own the whole thing.

Stated mandate

IXUS The Fund seeks to track an index of large-, mid-, and small-capitalization non-U.S. equities. It uses an indexing approach and generally invests at least 80% of assets in the Underlying Index’s component securities or substantially identical investments.

VXUS The fund uses a passive indexing strategy to track the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index, which measures the performance of large-, mid-, and small-cap stocks in developed and emerging markets outside the United States.

Why people hold it

IXUS Seven basis points a year (0.07%), against a peer-group median near 0.28%. Global diversification priced close to a rounding error.
Tracks the MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI: non-US developed and emerging markets, large, mid and small caps, roughly 4,300 stocks, with at least 80% of assets in index components.ishares.com
Running since 2012, a multi-billion-dollar fund that trades actively, and one of the strongest implementations in its peer group.

VXUS 0.05% a year, a small fraction of the median fee among its international peers.
One ticker, roughly 8,600 companies: developed and emerging markets, large caps down to small caps, weighted by market size.vanguard.com
Tracks the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index tightly, one of the cleanest index builds among the international funds we grade.
Trading since 2011, well over $100 billion in assets and one of the busiest names in its category, which usually shows up as tight bid-ask spreads.

Worth knowing

IXUS Cheaper tickets exist in the aisle: VEU charges 0.04%. It follows a FTSE index rather than MSCI, so the holdings are not the same basket.
Small caps and emerging markets ride rougher than developed large caps, and everything inside is priced in foreign currencies.
Distributions land annually or semiannually rather than quarterly, so income shows up in lumps.

VXUS No US stocks by design. This is the other half of a global portfolio, not the whole portfolio.vanguard.com
Foreign currency moves feed straight into dollar returns, and Vanguard flags country and currency risk as especially high in emerging markets.vanguard.com
Market-cap weighting means the largest developed markets and their megacaps steer the fund; the thousands of small names barely move it.vanguard.com

Full IXUS profile⁠

Full VXUS profile⁠

IXUS vs VXUS Holdings

How IXUS and VXUS differ

Overlap by weight

85.4%

Shared holdings make up 94.4% of IXUS and 89.1% of VXUS.

Level by level

Holdings4,038 in both85.4%
Countryby domicile90.3%
Sector11 Sectors97.9%
Asset classEquity100%

Sector

Sector weights in IXUS and VXUS, widest gap first
Sector	More in IXUSMore in VXUS	IXUS	VXUS
Technology	VXUS +1.6 points	20.1%	21.7%
Consumer Discretionary	IXUS +0.6 points	7.9%	7.3%
Energy	IXUS +0.5 points	5.1%	4.6%
Consumer Staples	IXUS +0.4 points	5.2%	4.8%
Health Care	IXUS +0.3 points	7.2%	6.9%
Industrials	VXUS +0.3 points	14.6%	14.9%
Utilities	IXUS +0.2 points	3.1%	2.9%
Materials	VXUS +0.1 points	7.4%	7.5%
Communication	Same weight	4.1%	4.1%
Real Estate	VXUS +0.1 points	2.1%	2.2%
Financials	VXUS +0.1 points	23.1%	23.2%

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Country weights in IXUS and VXUS, widest gap first
Country	More in IXUSMore in VXUS	IXUS	VXUS
South Africa	VXUS +3.0 points	0.0%	3.0%
Canada	IXUS +1.6 points	9.5%	7.9%
United Kingdom	IXUS +1.4 points	9.5%	8.1%
Switzerland	IXUS +1.1 points	5.9%	4.8%
Japan	IXUS +1.0 points	17.1%	16.1%
Israel	VXUS +0.9 points	0.0%	0.9%
Germany	IXUS +0.8 points	5.4%	4.6%
France	IXUS +0.8 points	5.6%	4.8%
Other countries (30)	VXUS +2.8 points	47.0%	49.8%

Outside the US: IXUS 71% developed, 29% emerging. VXUS 65% developed, 35% emerging.

Concentration

Weight in the 10 largest Holdings

IXUS13.6%
VXUS14.6%

Securities held

IXUS4,560
VXUS8,836

Asset class

IXUS: Equity
VXUS: Equity

Holdings

Only in IXUS522
In both4,038
Only in VXUS4,798

Only in IXUS

522 securities, 5.2% of IXUS by weight

Spotify Technology0.21%
Reliance Industries Ltd0.17%
Nordea Bank0.13%
Basf N0.13%
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries0.12%
Ferrari0.12%
Al Rajhi Bank0.11%
Nu Holdings Class A0.10%
Nebius NV Class A0.08%
Adidas N AG0.08%
Stmicroelectronics0.07%
Teck Resources Subordinate Voting0.07%
The Saudi National Bank0.07%
Larsen and Toubro Ltd0.07%
Ferrovial NV0.07%
Sea Ads Representing Ltd Class A0.07%
Aercap Holdings0.06%
Aib Group PLC0.06%
Coca Cola Europacific Partners PLC0.06%
First Abu Dhabi Bank0.06%
Credicorp Ltd0.05%
Tata Consultancy Services Ltd0.05%
Emirates Telecommunications Group0.05%
Bombardier Class B0.05%
Kerry Group PLC0.05%
Delta Electronics (Thailand) Non-V0.05%
State Bank of India0.04%
Bt Group PLC0.04%
Eternal0.04%
Southern Copper Corp0.04%
Edp Energias De Portugal0.04%
Ntpc Ltd0.04%
Cgi Inc Class A0.03%
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank0.03%
Henkel & Kgaa Pref AG0.03%
Vonovia SE0.03%
Check Point Software Technologies0.03%
Power Grid Corporation of India0.03%
Ptt Non-Voting Dr0.03%
Rogers Communications Non-Voting I0.03%
Adani Ports and Special Economic Z0.03%
Advanced Info Service Non-Voting D0.03%
Banco Comercial Portugues SA0.02%
Tech Mahindra0.02%
Interglobe Aviation Ltd0.02%
Ccl Industries Class B0.02%
Hongkong Land Holdings Ltd0.02%
H World Group Adr0.02%
Grasim Industries0.02%
Stellantis0.02%

Only in VXUS

4,798 securities, 10.1% of VXUS by weight

SLCMT11421.66%
Reliance Industries Ltd0.19%
Air Liquide SA0.18%
BHP Group Ltd0.17%
L'Oreal SA0.15%
Nordea Bank Abp0.14%
Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF0.11%
Basf SE0.11%
Al Rajhi Bank0.11%
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd0.10%
Ferrari NV0.10%
Waste Connections Inc0.09%
STMicroelectronics NV0.08%
Engie SA0.07%
Teck Resources Ltd0.07%
Saudi National Bank/The0.07%
Barrick Mining Corp0.06%
AIB Group PLC0.06%
adidas AG0.06%
Larsen & Toubro Ltd0.06%
Ferrovial NV0.06%
First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC0.05%
Tata Consultancy Services Ltd0.05%
Amrize Ltd0.05%
Emirates Telecommunications Group Co PJSC0.05%
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC0.04%
Bombardier Inc0.04%
Investor AB0.04%
Edp SA0.04%
NTPC Ltd0.04%
Kerry Group PLC0.03%
Eternal Ltd0.03%
State Bank of India0.03%
Ptt Pcl/Foreign0.03%
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC0.03%
UPM-Kymmene Oyj0.03%
BT Group PLC0.03%
James Hardie Industries-Cdi0.03%
Vonovia SE0.03%
Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd0.03%
Henkel AG & Co Kgaa Vor-Pref0.03%
CGI Inc0.03%
Power Grid Corp of India Ltd0.03%
Kasikornbank Pcl-Foreign0.03%
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA0.03%
Banco Comercial Portugues SA0.03%
JSW Steel Ltd0.03%
Grasim Industries Ltd0.03%
Tech Mahindra Ltd0.02%
Galp Energia SGPS SA0.02%

Weight gaps

The 100 widest of 4,038 Holdings in both funds.

Holding weights in IXUS and VXUS, widest gap first
Holding	More in IXUSMore in VXUS	IXUS	VXUS
Sk Hynix	VXUS +0.25 points	1.42%	1.67%
Lair Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour	IXUS +0.21 points	0.30%	0.09%
Loreal SA	IXUS +0.21 points	0.28%	0.07%
Bhp Group Ltd	IXUS +0.19 points	0.50%	0.31%
Roche Ps Par AG	IXUS +0.17 points	0.83%	0.66%
Astrazeneca PLCAZN.L	IXUS +0.14 points	0.68%	0.54%
ShellSHEL.L	IXUS +0.13 points	0.75%	0.62%
Samsung Electronics Ltd	VXUS +0.12 points	1.91%	2.03%
Novartis AG	IXUS +0.12 points	0.72%	0.60%
Sap	IXUS +0.12 points	0.58%	0.46%
Nestle SA	IXUS +0.12 points	0.64%	0.52%
Delta Electronics	VXUS +0.11 points	0.20%	0.31%
Mediatek	VXUS +0.09 points	0.42%	0.51%
Softbank Group Corp	VXUS +0.08 points	0.26%	0.34%
Commonwealth Bank of Australia	IXUS +0.08 points	0.47%	0.39%
Engie SA	IXUS +0.07 points	0.11%	0.04%
Alibaba Group Holding	VXUS +0.07 points	0.50%	0.57%
Asml Holding	VXUS +0.07 points	1.48%	1.55%
Recruit Holdings Ltd	IXUS +0.07 points	0.39%	0.32%
Canadian Natural Resources Ltd	IXUS +0.06 points	0.28%	0.22%
Toronto Dominion	IXUS +0.07 points	0.50%	0.43%
Royal Bank of Canada	IXUS +0.06 points	0.68%	0.62%
Banco Santander	VXUS +0.06 points	0.39%	0.45%
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing	IXUS +0.06 points	4.33%	4.27%
Kioxia Holdings	VXUS +0.06 points	0.24%	0.30%
Bp PLCBP.L	IXUS +0.06 points	0.32%	0.26%
Totalenergies	IXUS +0.06 points	0.45%	0.39%
Barrick Mining	IXUS +0.06 points	0.15%	0.09%
Shopify Subordinate Voting Class A	IXUS +0.05 points	0.46%	0.41%
Unilever PLCULVR.L	IXUS +0.06 points	0.34%	0.28%
British American TobaccoBATS.L	IXUS +0.05 points	0.30%	0.25%
Schneider Electric	VXUS +0.05 points	0.35%	0.40%
Suncor Energy Inc	IXUS +0.05 points	0.23%	0.18%
Zurich Insurance Group AG	IXUS +0.05 points	0.27%	0.22%
Allianz	IXUS +0.05 points	0.45%	0.40%
Hsbc Holdings PLCHSBA.L	VXUS +0.04 points	0.72%	0.76%
Tokyo Electron	VXUS +0.04 points	0.33%	0.37%
Relx PLCREL.L	IXUS +0.04 points	0.17%	0.13%
Tencent Holdings	VXUS +0.04 points	0.72%	0.76%
Genmab	IXUS +0.04 points	0.09%	0.05%
Givaudan SA	IXUS +0.04 points	0.11%	0.07%
Novo Nordisk Class B	IXUS +0.04 points	0.31%	0.27%
Essilorluxottica SA	IXUS +0.04 points	0.15%	0.11%
Sony Group	IXUS +0.04 points	0.35%	0.31%
Murata Manufacturing	VXUS +0.03 points	0.16%	0.19%
Pdd Holdings AdsPDD	VXUS +0.03 points	0.10%	0.13%
Advantest	IXUS +0.03 points	0.39%	0.36%
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria	VXUS +0.03 points	0.32%	0.35%
Safran SA	VXUS +0.03 points	0.26%	0.29%
Muenchener Rueckversicherungs-Gese	IXUS +0.03 points	0.19%	0.16%
Fujikura	VXUS +0.03 points	0.09%	0.12%
National Australia Bank	IXUS +0.03 points	0.22%	0.19%
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce	IXUS +0.03 points	0.26%	0.23%
United Micro Electronics Corp	VXUS +0.03 points	0.09%	0.12%
Anz Group Holdings Ltd	IXUS +0.03 points	0.21%	0.18%
Intesa Sanpaolo	VXUS +0.03 points	0.23%	0.26%
Sanofi SA	IXUS +0.03 points	0.23%	0.20%
Unicredit	VXUS +0.03 points	0.27%	0.30%
Ucb SA	IXUS +0.03 points	0.09%	0.06%
Bank of Nova Scotia	IXUS +0.03 points	0.28%	0.25%
Fast Retailing	IXUS +0.03 points	0.21%	0.18%
Rolls-Royce Holdings PLCRR.L	VXUS +0.03 points	0.33%	0.36%
Westpac Banking Corporation	IXUS +0.03 points	0.22%	0.19%
Enbridge	IXUS +0.03 points	0.26%	0.23%
Tc Energy	IXUS +0.02 points	0.16%	0.14%
Takeda Pharmaceutical	IXUS +0.03 points	0.16%	0.13%
Constellation Software	IXUS +0.03 points	0.12%	0.09%
National Grid PLCNG.L	IXUS +0.03 points	0.20%	0.17%
Lenovo Group	VXUS +0.02 points	0.05%	0.07%
Ubs Group AG	IXUS +0.03 points	0.36%	0.33%
Airbus Group	IXUS +0.03 points	0.31%	0.28%
Deutsche Boerse AG	IXUS +0.03 points	0.16%	0.13%
Csl	IXUS +0.02 points	0.16%	0.14%
Tokio Marine Holdings	IXUS +0.03 points	0.24%	0.21%
GlaxosmithklineGSK.L	IXUS +0.02 points	0.24%	0.22%
Aia Group	IXUS +0.02 points	0.24%	0.22%
Bae Systems PLCBA.L	IXUS +0.03 points	0.20%	0.17%
Icici Bank	IXUS +0.03 points	0.19%	0.16%
Macquarie Group Ltd Def	IXUS +0.03 points	0.16%	0.13%
Swiss Re AG	IXUS +0.02 points	0.13%	0.11%
Lonza Group AG	IXUS +0.02 points	0.13%	0.11%
Compass Group PLCCPG.L	IXUS +0.03 points	0.14%	0.11%
Tesco PLCTSCO.L	IXUS +0.02 points	0.11%	0.09%
London Stock Exchange Group PLCLSEG.L	IXUS +0.03 points	0.14%	0.11%
Investor Class B	IXUS +0.02 points	0.18%	0.16%
Celestica	VXUS +0.02 points	0.08%	0.10%
Dollarama	IXUS +0.02 points	0.10%	0.08%
Enel	IXUS +0.02 points	0.19%	0.17%
Galderma Group N AG	IXUS +0.02 points	0.10%	0.08%
Hoya	IXUS +0.03 points	0.14%	0.11%
Sandoz Group AG	IXUS +0.02 points	0.10%	0.08%
Iberdrola	IXUS +0.02 points	0.37%	0.35%
Canadian Pacific Kansas City	IXUS +0.02 points	0.19%	0.17%
Rheinmetall AG	IXUS +0.02 points	0.13%	0.11%
Panasonic Holdings	VXUS +0.02 points	0.13%	0.15%
Experian PLCEXPN.L	IXUS +0.03 points	0.09%	0.06%
Assicurazioni Generali	VXUS +0.02 points	0.08%	0.10%
Nintendo	IXUS +0.02 points	0.14%	0.12%
Equinor	IXUS +0.02 points	0.08%	0.06%
Eni	IXUS +0.02 points	0.13%	0.11%

All 4,580 IXUS holdings⁠All 8,602 VXUS 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.

IXUS vs VXUS Cost

Overpaying IXUS vs VXUS

$420

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

IXUS 0.07%
$1,480
VXUS 0.05%
$1,060

Amount$10,000

Years30 years

Cost over time

IXUS 0.07%
VXUS 0.05%
Overpaying

Year by year

Year	IXUS	VXUS	Overpaying
10	$128	$92	$36
20	$503	$360	$143
30	$1,480	$1,060	$420

Expense ratio

0.07%IXUS
0.05%VXUS, cheaper

VXUS0.05%IXUS0.07%

0.04%0.55%

Middle half of Total International Market funds
Median 0.23%

VXUS 2nd cheapest of 8 funds

IXUS 3rd cheapest of 8 funds

IXUS vs VXUS Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026

Yield (12M): IXUS 3.04%, better; VXUS 2.41%
Payout (12M): IXUS $2.80; VXUS $1.98
Last payment: IXUS $1.23; VXUS $0.16
Ex-dividend: IXUS Jun 15, 2026; VXUS Sep 18, 2026
Paid on: IXUS Jun 18, 2026; VXUS Sep 22, 2026
Frequency: IXUS Twice a year; VXUS Quarterly

Distribution history

Per share, 2017 to 2026, same scale for both

IXUSTwice a year · 20 paymentsAll IXUS payments⁠

VXUSQuarterly · 39 paymentsAll VXUS payments⁠

IXUS vs VXUS Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

IXUS
VXUS

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years: IXUS 11.9%VXUS 11.9%
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years: IXUS 1.28, betterVXUS 1.25
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years: IXUS −29.4%VXUS −28.9%, better
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years: IXUS 0.92VXUS 0.92; Market = 1

IXUS and VXUS in the news

All news⁠

Best ETFs
Best international ETFs: one cheap fund, then the Korea choice
Updated Nov 2, 2026IXUSVXUS
Best ETFs
Vanguard's total international fund is the one-fund pick, and Korea splits the rest
Updated Oct 2, 2026IXUSVXUS
Head-to-Head
Own the world's stocks with VT, or only the United States with VTI
Oct 23, 2026VXUS
Head-to-Head
VXUS already holds the stocks in VEA
Oct 19, 2026VXUS
New ETFs
Avantis Investors' Avantis U.S. Core Equity ETF AVUC overlaps a fund it already runs
Oct 16, 2026IXUS
New ETFs
Three new international stock funds, and none is the cheap one
Oct 5, 2026VXUS

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IXUS vs VXUS

In short

Stated mandate

Why people hold it