BetterThanSPY

Relative Intelligence · US Total Market

How Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives

Built by QuantCommons' quantitative engine, this page is about relative opportunity, not data on VTI alone. It places VTI (Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF) against 20+ popular alternatives, its neighboring categories and the entire market of over 10,000 U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs, and surfaces what has done better on consistent outperformance, return for the risk taken, behavior in real market crashes and diversification. The result is a clearer view of where VTI stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.

Period covered: VTI's full trading record, from May 2001 through September 2026. The crash tests reach back to 2000 using older funds and the S&P 500. All returns include reinvested dividends. Data as of October 22, 2026.

Data as of October 22, 2026. Full tables and charts read best on a larger screen.

Rank the market against VTI →Chart VTI vs. 23 alternatives →

This page answers the following questions about VTI

Key findings

Not AI-generated

These key findings are generated by our proprietary relative intelligence engine, directly from the data on this page.

How much would $10,000 in VTI have grown?

This chart tracks a hypothetical $10,000 investment in VTI over the past 22 years, with dividends reinvested, alongside the same amount in the S&P 500, investments that ended ahead of VTI over the same span and VTI's popular alternatives, among those that traded for the entire period. A second view covers the past 5 years, the period the better options further down the page are judged on. It shows not only where each investment ended up but also how smooth or uneven the path was.

Note: The chart covers the past 22 years rather than VTI's full 25 years, because most of its popular alternatives have not traded that long.

Choose a period

From the end of September 2004 to the end of September 2026. The scale is logarithmic, so equal steps up the chart are equal percentage gains. Hover over a fund in the key to pick out its line. 441 of the 1,489 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that traded the whole period ended ahead of VTI; the chart shows 5, closest alternatives first. The other 3 lines are popular alternatives, shown for context.

$10,000$100,000$1M$10M200420082012201620202024$10,000$100,000$1M$10M2004201020162022
  • NVDA$21M+207,115% total · +41.5% a year
  • AAPL$6M+57,365% total · +33.5% a year
  • GOOG$1M+10,548% total · +23.6% a year
  • RY$189,945+1,799% total · +14.3% a year
  • VV$107,334+973% total · +11.4% a year
  • VTI$103,071+931% total · +11.2% a year
  • SPTM$102,728+927% total · +11.2% a year
  • SPY (S&P 500)$102,174+922% total · +11.1% a year
  • ITOT$99,443+894% total · +11.0% a year
  • RSP$88,595+786% total · +10.4% a year
Change the dates or add tickers to this chart in EasyCompare

From the end of September 2021 to the end of September 2026. Hover over a fund in the key to pick out its line. 1,051 of the 3,630 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that traded the whole period ended ahead of VTI; the chart shows 5, closest alternatives first. The other 3 lines are popular alternatives, shown for context.

$5,000$10,000$15,000$20,000$25,000202120222023202420252026$5,000$10,000$15,000$20,000$25,000202120222023202420252026
  • PVAL$21,761+118% total · +16.8% a year
  • IUS$19,997+100.0% total · +14.9% a year
  • VSLU$19,451+94.5% total · +14.2% a year
  • SPY (S&P 500)$19,000+90.0% total · +13.7% a year
  • PRF$18,834+88.3% total · +13.5% a year
  • VV$18,747+87.5% total · +13.4% a year
  • SPTM$18,634+86.3% total · +13.3% a year
  • SIXA$18,594+85.9% total · +13.2% a year
  • VONE$18,367+83.7% total · +12.9% a year
  • VTI$18,064+80.6% total · +12.6% a year
Change the dates or add tickers to this chart in EasyCompare

VTI at a glance

This section summarizes the key facts about the fund, its returns over periods from one to ten years and the risk it has carried, with dividends reinvested throughout. These figures serve as the baseline for every comparison that follows.

The fund

Issuer
Vanguard
Began trading
May 2001
Expense ratio
0.03%per year
Assets
$2.3T
Category
Broad Market

Returns

Past 1 year
+15.3%total return
Past 3 years
+87.3%+23.3% a year
Past 5 years
+71.5%+11.4% a year
Past 10 years
+298%+14.8% a year
Best calendar year
+33.4%2013
Worst calendar year
−37.0%2008
Losing years
4 of 24full calendar years

Risk

Volatility
17.5%typical yearly swing, 5 years
Sharpe ratio
0.71return per unit of risk, 5 years
Worst decline ever
−55.5%Oct 2007 to Mar 2009
From its all-time high
−2.2%below the peak

VTI against the whole market

Where VTI ranks among every stock and fund, and what across the market has done better.

How does VTI rank among all ETFs?

This section ranks VTI on return, volatility, risk-adjusted return and worst decline against every ETF worth at least $100 million with enough history. Where the comparisons with its popular alternatives show how VTI stacks up against its peers, these rankings show where it stands in the market as a whole.

Ranked against U.S.-listed ETFs with at least $100M in assets that have enough history for each measure, so the count changes from row to row; smaller ETFs and leveraged funds are left out. Lower volatility and smaller declines rank higher.

MeasureVTIRankStanding
1-year return+15.3%826 of 2,488top 33%
3-year return+87.3%393 of 1,950top 20%
5-year return+71.5%357 of 1,563top 23%
10-year return+298%94 of 958top 10%
Volatility, 5 years17.5%911 of 1,563bottom 43%
Sharpe ratio, 5 years0.71508 of 1,563top 33%
Worst decline, past 10 years−35.0%349 of 951top 37%

What has beaten VTI on both return and risk?

Each dot is an investment, placed by how much it earned a year over the past 5 years (higher is better) and how much its price swung, its volatility (further left is calmer). VTI sits where the dashed lines cross. Anything in the green box above and to the left earned more than VTI with smaller swings, a better trade-off over this period on both counts. Past results are no promise, but a name in the box is worth a closer look.

Annual return is the annualized total return with dividends reinvested, and volatility the annualized swing in daily prices, both over 5 years. Labeled dots are the strongest picks from the table below and the names called out above, colored by how close they sit to VTI; faint dots are 24 more of the 48 in the green region (the strongest, one per fund family). 3,641 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million were screened. Hover over a dot for its figures.

8.0%10.0%12.0%14.0%16.0%18.0%20.0%7.5%10.0%12.5%15.0%17.5%20.0%22.5%25.0%27.5%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsMore return, less volatility than VTIQVML: +12.8% a year, volatility 16.6%FNDX: +13.6% a year, volatility 14.9%FDRR: +12.7% a year, volatility 15.0%FYLD: +13.1% a year, volatility 16.0%USMC: +13.8% a year, volatility 16.5%FNDF: +13.6% a year, volatility 16.3%VYMI: +13.2% a year, volatility 14.8%FDVV: +13.4% a year, volatility 14.6%DBEF: +12.9% a year, volatility 13.8%FDL: +14.6% a year, volatility 14.5%JQUA: +13.5% a year, volatility 15.7%IDV: +12.7% a year, volatility 15.5%EMLP: +15.2% a year, volatility 14.5%GCOW: +14.4% a year, volatility 13.6%MGV: +12.8% a year, volatility 13.4%FTGC: +13.1% a year, volatility 15.6%HDEF: +12.9% a year, volatility 14.2%PWV: +13.7% a year, volatility 14.2%AUSF: +13.6% a year, volatility 13.6%VLU: +12.4% a year, volatility 15.2%DGT: +13.9% a year, volatility 15.1%QDEF: +12.6% a year, volatility 13.7%FIVA: +13.1% a year, volatility 16.4%DJD: +12.5% a year, volatility 13.3%VTI: +11.4% a year, volatility 17.5%PRF: +13.0% a year, volatility 15.0%VOO: +12.6% a year, volatility 16.9%PVAL: +15.9% a year, volatility 15.1%IUS: +14.7% a year, volatility 14.9%SIXA: +12.9% a year, volatility 12.7%VSLU: +13.7% a year, volatility 16.2%VLUE: +16.2% a year, volatility 18.4%FLV: +10.5% a year, volatility 12.7%LVHI: +16.9% a year, volatility 11.1%RY: +17.5% a year, volatility 18.2%MPLX: +24.0% a year, volatility 18.8%DFIV: +14.8% a year, volatility 16.4%DXJ: +26.6% a year, volatility 19.1%KO: +15.2% a year, volatility 16.8%DIVB: +14.6% a year, volatility 15.5%PJUL: +10.4% a year, volatility 8.6%VTIPRFVOOPVALIUSSIXAVSLUVLUEFLVLVHIRYMPLXDFIVDXJDIVBPJUL7.5%10.0%12.5%15.0%17.5%20.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsMore return, less volatility than VTIQVML: +12.8% a year, volatility 16.6%FNDX: +13.6% a year, volatility 14.9%FDRR: +12.7% a year, volatility 15.0%FYLD: +13.1% a year, volatility 16.0%USMC: +13.8% a year, volatility 16.5%FNDF: +13.6% a year, volatility 16.3%VYMI: +13.2% a year, volatility 14.8%FDVV: +13.4% a year, volatility 14.6%DBEF: +12.9% a year, volatility 13.8%FDL: +14.6% a year, volatility 14.5%JQUA: +13.5% a year, volatility 15.7%IDV: +12.7% a year, volatility 15.5%EMLP: +15.2% a year, volatility 14.5%GCOW: +14.4% a year, volatility 13.6%MGV: +12.8% a year, volatility 13.4%FTGC: +13.1% a year, volatility 15.6%HDEF: +12.9% a year, volatility 14.2%PWV: +13.7% a year, volatility 14.2%AUSF: +13.6% a year, volatility 13.6%VLU: +12.4% a year, volatility 15.2%DGT: +13.9% a year, volatility 15.1%QDEF: +12.6% a year, volatility 13.7%FIVA: +13.1% a year, volatility 16.4%DJD: +12.5% a year, volatility 13.3%VTI: +11.4% a year, volatility 17.5%PRF: +13.0% a year, volatility 15.0%VOO: +12.6% a year, volatility 16.9%PVAL: +15.9% a year, volatility 15.1%IUS: +14.7% a year, volatility 14.9%SIXA: +12.9% a year, volatility 12.7%VSLU: +13.7% a year, volatility 16.2%VLUE: +16.2% a year, volatility 18.4%FLV: +10.5% a year, volatility 12.7%LVHI: +16.9% a year, volatility 11.1%RY: +17.5% a year, volatility 18.2%MPLX: +24.0% a year, volatility 18.8%DFIV: +14.8% a year, volatility 16.4%DXJ: +26.6% a year, volatility 19.1%KO: +15.2% a year, volatility 16.8%DIVB: +14.6% a year, volatility 15.5%PJUL: +10.4% a year, volatility 8.6%VTIPRFVOOPVALIUSSIXAVLUEFLVLVHIRYMPLXDFIVDXJDIVBPJUL
  • Popular alternatives
  • Same and neighboring categories, and shared themes
  • The whole market
  • Others in the green region

Is there a better investment than VTI?

Investments that beat VTI over the past 5 years on return, volatility, drawdowns, consistency, crash losses or fees, from its popular alternatives out to the whole market.

How this works

The table below lists investments that beat VTI over the past 5 years on at least one of these measures: a higher annual return with lower volatility, a higher annual return at similar volatility, a similar return with lower volatility, a higher Sharpe ratio with a smaller worst decline, a higher total return in most periods from 3 months to 10 years, or smaller losses in recent market crashes, and, for funds, the same exposure at a lower expense ratio. It checks VTI's popular alternatives first, then the rest of its own and neighboring categories, then every stock and fund worth at least $500 million, and shows the strongest few in each group. The full list of those with a higher return and lower volatility than VTI follows the table.

Annual return is the annualized total return with dividends reinvested. Annual return, volatility and the Sharpe ratio cover 5 years; the worst decline covers the past 10 years. Green marks a better figure than VTI's. "On the frontier" means no other option shown or tested earned more with less volatility. Funds that hold the same thing are shown once. Beyond the popular alternatives, nothing with more than 1.5× VTI's volatility counts as better.

These figures cover the past 5 years. Green marks a better figure than VTI's.

Screen the whole market against VTI for any period in BetterThanSPYOpen these 17 in EasyCompare
InvestmentWhy it is betterPast 5 yearsDownsideLong runFit
Annual return?higher is betterVolatility?lower is calmerSharpe?return per unit of riskWorst decline?past 10 years10Y returntotalCorr. with VTI?lower diversifies moreExpenseper year
VTIVanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF · this page
+11.4%17.5%0.71−35.0%+298%1.000.03%
Popular alternativesbest 2 shownThe investments people most often weigh against VTI. 6 of 23 passed at least one test.
PRFInvesco RAFI US 1000 ETF · US Large-Cap Value
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher return in most periods+13.0%15.0%0.90−38.1%+270%0.920.34%
VOOVanguard S&P 500 ETF · US Large-Cap Equity
Higher return in most periods+12.6%16.9%0.79−34.0%+319%1.000.03%
Same and neighboring categories, and shared themesbest 6 shownEverything else in US Total Market and the categories next to it (US Large-Cap Equity, US Large-Cap Value, US Multifactor Equity), plus VTI's specific themes. 38 of 132 passed at least one test.
PVALPutnam Focused Large Cap Value ETF · US Large-Cap Value
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher return in most periods+15.9%15.1%1.06−41.3%—0.890.56%
IUSInvesco RAFI Strategic US ETF · US Total Market
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher return in most periods+14.7%14.9%1.00−34.7%—0.940.19%
SIXAETC 6 Meridian Mega Cap Equity ETF · US Large-Cap Equity
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst decline+12.9%12.7%1.02−18.4%—0.830.31%
VSLUApplied Finance Valuation Large Cap ETF · US Large-Cap Value
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst decline+13.7%16.2%0.88−23.8%—0.970.49%
VLUEiShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF · US Large-Cap Value
Higher return, similar volatilityHigher return in most periods+16.2%18.4%0.91−39.5%+286%0.840.15%
FLVAmerican Century Focused Large Cap Value ETF · US Large-Cap Value
Similar return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst decline+10.5%12.7%0.85−15.1%—0.720.42%
The whole marketbest 8 shownEvery other stock and fund worth at least $500 million. 164 of 3,508 passed at least one test.
LVHIFranklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF · International Dividend Equity
On the frontierHigher return, lower volatilityHigher return in most periods+16.9%11.1%1.48−32.4%+194%0.550.40%
RYRoyal Bank of Canada · Banks
On the frontierHigher return, similar volatilityHigher return in most periods+17.5%18.2%0.98−40.0%+361%0.61—
MPLXMPLX Lp · Oil & Gas Midstream
On the frontierHigher return, similar volatilityHigher return in most periods+24.0%18.8%1.25−75.2%+337%0.46—
DFIVDimensional - International Value ETF · International Large-Cap Value
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst decline+14.8%16.4%0.93−25.4%—0.660.27%
DXJWisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund · Japan Equity
On the frontierHigher return, similar volatilityHigher return in most periods+26.6%19.1%1.34−39.1%+415%0.520.48%
KOThe Coca-Cola Company · Nonalcoholic Beverages
Higher return, similar volatilityHigher return in most periods+15.2%16.8%0.93−37.0%+205%0.29—
DIVBiShares Core Dividend ETF · High Dividend Yield
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher return in most periods+14.6%15.5%0.96−36.9%—0.870.05%
PJULInnovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF · US Equity Buffer
On the frontierSimilar return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst decline+10.4%8.6%1.20−18.2%—0.930.79%
What these numbers mean for VTI
Annual return
VTI returned 11.4% a year over the past 5 years with dividends reinvested. At that pace, $10,000 became about $17,100. Annual return is the steady yearly rate that would produce the same total result, so investments held over the same span compare fairly. Guide: What is performance and return? →
Volatility
VTI's volatility over the past 5 years was 17.5%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, VTI's return lands within 17.5% of its average, either way. The higher it is, the rougher the ride and the harder it is to hold through a slump. Guide: Understanding and measuring risk (volatility) →
Sharpe ratio
VTI's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.71. The Sharpe ratio is the return earned above cash for each unit of volatility: two investments with the same return are not equal if one got there with far bigger swings. Guide: Balancing reward with risk (Sharpe ratio) →
Worst decline
VTI's worst fall from a peak to a low over the past 10 years was 35.0%. Losses and gains are not symmetric: climbing back from a 35.0% fall takes a 53.8% gain. Guide: Market crash risk and tail risk →
Show all 48 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that earned more than VTI with less volatility

Out of 3,641 tested over 5 years. The strongest 30 are listed, best first, with funds that hold the same thing listed once.

#InvestmentFound inAnnual returnVolatilitySharpeWorst decline10Y returnCorr. with VTIExpense
1
QVMLInvesco S&P 500 QVM Multi-factor ETF · US Multifactor Equity
Same or nearby category+12.8%16.6%0.81−23.5%—0.990.11%
2
LVHIFranklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF · International Dividend Equity
Whole market+16.9%11.1%1.48−32.4%+194%0.550.40%
3
FNDXSchwab Fundamental U.S. Large Company ETF · US Large-Cap Value
Same or nearby category+13.6%14.9%0.93−37.7%+292%0.920.25%
4
DFIVDimensional - International Value ETF · International Large-Cap Value
Whole market+14.8%16.4%0.93−25.4%—0.660.27%
5
DIVBiShares Core Dividend ETF · High Dividend Yield
Whole market+14.6%15.5%0.96−36.9%—0.870.05%
6
IUSInvesco RAFI Strategic US ETF · US Total Market
Same or nearby category+14.7%14.9%1.00−34.7%—0.940.19%
7
FDRRFidelity Dividend ETF for Rising Rates · US Dividend Equity
Whole market+12.7%15.0%0.88−36.5%+264%0.930.15%
8
FYLDCambria Foreign Shareholder Yield ETF · International Dividend Equity
Whole market+13.1%16.0%0.86−44.6%+203%0.600.59%
9
USMCPrincipal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF · US Large-Cap Equity
Same or nearby category+13.8%16.5%0.87−30.0%—0.960.12%
10
SIXAETC 6 Meridian Mega Cap Equity ETF · US Large-Cap Equity
Same or nearby category+12.9%12.7%1.02−18.4%—0.830.31%
11
VSLUApplied Finance Valuation Large Cap ETF · US Large-Cap Value
Same or nearby category+13.7%16.2%0.88−23.8%—0.970.49%
12
FNDFSchwab Fundamental International Large Company Index ETF · International Large-Cap Equity
Whole market+13.6%16.3%0.87−40.2%+193%0.720.25%
13
VYMIVanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF · International Dividend Equity
Whole market+13.2%14.8%0.92−40.0%+174%0.670.07%
14
FDVVFidelity High Dividend ETF · High Dividend Yield
Whole market+13.4%14.6%0.94−40.2%+255%0.900.15%
15
DBEFXtrackers MSCI EAFE Hedged Equity ETF · International Equity
Whole market+12.9%13.8%0.95−32.5%+204%0.820.35%
16
FDLFirst Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund · High Dividend Yield
Whole market+14.6%14.5%1.02−41.4%+207%0.580.43%
17
JQUAJPMorgan U.S. Quality Factor ETF · US Quality Equity
Whole market+13.5%15.7%0.89−32.9%—0.970.12%
18
IDViShares International Select Dividend ETF · International Dividend Equity
Whole market+12.7%15.5%0.85−42.5%+159%0.580.50%
19
EMLPFirst Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund · Energy Infrastructure
Whole market+15.2%14.5%1.06−43.6%+155%0.630.95%
20
GCOWPacer Global Cash Cows Dividend ETF · Global Equity
Whole market+14.4%13.6%1.06−37.6%+170%0.520.60%
21
MGVVanguard Morningstar Mega Cap Value ETF · US Large-Cap Value
Same or nearby category+12.8%13.4%0.96−35.4%+247%0.840.05%
22
FTGCFirst Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund · Broad Commodities
Whole market+13.1%15.6%0.87−35.9%+135%0.160.98%
23
HDEFXtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF · International Dividend Equity
Whole market+12.9%14.2%0.93−36.4%+135%0.570.09%
24
PWVInvesco Large Cap Value ETF · US Large-Cap Value
Same or nearby category+13.7%14.2%0.98−37.6%+226%0.780.55%
25
AUSFGlobal X - Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF · US Multifactor Equity
Same or nearby category+13.6%13.6%1.01−44.2%—0.750.27%
26
VLUState Street SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF · US Value Equity
Whole market+12.4%15.2%0.85−37.4%+274%0.920.12%
27
DGTState Street SPDR Global Dow ETF · Global Equity
Whole market+13.9%15.1%0.95−34.4%+260%0.850.50%
28
QDEFNorthern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive ETF · US Dividend Equity
Whole market+12.6%13.7%0.94−35.7%+228%0.940.40%
29
FIVAFidelity International Value Factor ETF · International Large-Cap Value
Whole market+13.1%16.4%0.83−39.7%—0.720.18%
30
DJDInvesco Dow Jones Industrial Average Dividend ETF · High Dividend Yield
Whole market+12.5%13.3%0.95−34.7%+233%0.750.07%

See everything that outperformed VTI →

VTI against its popular alternatives

The investments people most often weigh against VTI, compared period by period and year by year.

How do VTI's risk and return compare with its alternatives?

This map plots each investment's annual return over the past 5 years against its volatility, the size of its typical price swings. Investments toward the upper left earned more for a smoother ride, and those toward the lower right earned less for a rougher one. The dashed lines cross at VTI, which divides the map into what did better or worse on each measure.

Green points earned more than VTI with less volatility; red points earned less with more. Hover over a point for its figures. Total returns with dividends reinvested, annualized.

5.0%7.5%10.0%12.5%15.0%17.5%20.0%22.5%−2.0%0.0%2.0%4.0%6.0%8.0%10.0%12.0%14.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsHigher return, lower volatilityLower return, higher volatilityVTI: 11.4% a year, volatility 17.5%SPY (S&P 500): 12.5% a year, volatility 17.2%PRF: 13.1% a year, volatility 15.0%VV: 12.2% a year, volatility 17.3%VONE: 11.8% a year, volatility 17.2%SPTM: 12.1% a year, volatility 16.9%ESGV: 11.1% a year, volatility 18.5%SCHB: 11.4% a year, volatility 17.3%VXF: 4.9% a year, volatility 22.4%IWM: 5.3% a year, volatility 22.4%RSP: 8.4% a year, volatility 16.1%DFAC: 11.3% a year, volatility 17.0%BND: −0.2% a year, volatility 6.1%ESGU: 11.4% a year, volatility 17.4%ITOT: 11.4% a year, volatility 17.4%VT: 10.1% a year, volatility 16.2%VXUS: 8.0% a year, volatility 16.4%VTISPY (S&P 500)PRFVVESGVSCHBVXFRSPBNDVTVXUS5.0%10.0%15.0%20.0%25.0%−2.5%0.0%2.5%5.0%7.5%10.0%12.5%15.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsHigher return, lower volatilityLower return, higher volatilityVTI: 11.4% a year, volatility 17.5%SPY (S&P 500): 12.5% a year, volatility 17.2%PRF: 13.1% a year, volatility 15.0%VV: 12.2% a year, volatility 17.3%VONE: 11.8% a year, volatility 17.2%SPTM: 12.1% a year, volatility 16.9%ESGV: 11.1% a year, volatility 18.5%SCHB: 11.4% a year, volatility 17.3%VXF: 4.9% a year, volatility 22.4%IWM: 5.3% a year, volatility 22.4%RSP: 8.4% a year, volatility 16.1%DFAC: 11.3% a year, volatility 17.0%BND: −0.2% a year, volatility 6.1%ESGU: 11.4% a year, volatility 17.4%ITOT: 11.4% a year, volatility 17.4%VT: 10.1% a year, volatility 16.2%VXUS: 8.0% a year, volatility 16.4%VTISPY (S&P 500)PRFVVVXFIWMRSPDFACBNDVTVXUS
All figures
InvestmentAnnual returnVolatility
PRF Invesco RAFI US 1000 ETF+13.1%15.0%
SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF+12.5%17.2%
VV Vanguard Morningstar Large-Cap ETF+12.2%17.3%
SPTM State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF+12.1%16.9%
VONE Vanguard Russell 1000 ETF+11.8%17.2%
SCHB Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF+11.4%17.3%
VTI This pageVanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF+11.4%17.5%
ITOT iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF+11.4%17.4%
ESGU iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF+11.4%17.4%
DFAC Dimensional - US Core Equity 2 ETF+11.3%17.0%
ESGV Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF+11.1%18.5%
VT Vanguard Total World Stock ETF+10.1%16.2%
RSP Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF+8.4%16.1%
VXUS Vanguard Total International Stock ETF+8.0%16.4%
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF+5.3%22.4%
VXF Vanguard Extended Market ETF+4.9%22.4%
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF−0.2%6.1%
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Has VTI consistently beaten its popular alternatives?

This section compares VTI with the investments people most often weigh against it, checking each one over eight periods from one month to ten years. Counting how often an alternative earned more than VTI helps separate lasting outperformance from a single strong stretch.

A green cell means the alternative earned more than VTI over that period. "Qualified" marks those that did so in at least 3 of 5 short-term periods and 2 of 3 long-term periods.

InvestmentPeriods outperformed Short termLong termRisk · 5 yearsFund
1M3M6MYTD1Y3Y5Y10YVolatilitylower is calmerSharpehigher is betterWorst declinepast 10 yearsExpenseAssetsOverlapsame sectors
VTI Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (this page)—−1.4%+1.9%+7.3%+12.4%+15.3%+87.3%+71.5%+298%17.5%0.71−35.0%0.03%$2.3T—
PRF QualifiedInvesco RAFI US 1000 ETF5/5 short2/3 long+1.6%+3.7%+12.1%+20.5%+26.1%+91.8%+84.6%+270%15.0%0.90−38.1%0.34%$10B83%
SPYM Broad MarketState Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF2/5 short2/3 long−1.2%+2.5%+8.0%+12.8%+15.7%+88.8%+80.9%+320%16.9%0.79−33.9%0.02%$184B98%
VOO Broad MarketVanguard S&P 500 ETF2/5 short2/3 long−1.2%+2.5%+8.0%+12.7%+15.7%+88.8%+80.8%+319%16.9%0.79−34.0%0.03%$1.7T98%
VV Broad MarketVanguard Morningstar Large-Cap ETF2/5 short2/3 long−1.4%+2.6%+8.1%+12.6%+15.3%+89.8%+77.4%+319%17.3%0.75−34.3%0.03%$76B97%
IVV Broad MarketiShares Core S&P 500 ETF2/5 short2/3 long−1.2%+2.5%+8.0%+12.8%+15.7%+88.8%+80.8%+319%17.0%0.79−33.9%0.03%$880B98%
SPY Broad MarketState Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF2/5 short2/3 long−1.2%+2.5%+8.0%+12.7%+15.6%+88.4%+80.3%+316%17.2%0.78−33.7%0.09%$823B98%
VONE Broad MarketVanguard Russell 1000 ETF1/5 short2/3 long−1.2%+2.4%+7.6%+12.3%+15.2%+87.6%+74.4%+308%17.2%0.74−34.7%0.06%$12B98%
SCHX Broad MarketSchwab U.S. Large-Cap ETF0/5 short2/3 long−1.4%+2.3%+7.6%+12.3%+15.0%+88.3%+75.1%+313%17.2%0.74−34.3%0.03%$74B99%
SPTM Broad MarketState Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF0/5 short1/3 long−1.2%+2.0%+7.5%+12.6%+15.6%+86.6%+77.1%+306%16.9%0.76−34.7%0.03%$14B98%
IWB Broad MarketiShares Russell 1000 ETF0/5 short1/3 long−1.2%+2.3%+7.6%+12.2%+15.0%+87.1%+73.6%+305%17.2%0.73−34.6%0.15%$49B98%
RSP Broad MarketInvesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF5/5 short0/3 long+2.5%+3.0%+8.6%+14.5%+16.8%+68.3%+49.6%+214%16.1%0.58−39.0%0.20%$98B74%
DFAC Broad MarketDimensional - US Core Equity 2 ETF3/5 short0/3 long−0.4%+1.6%+7.4%+14.0%+18.1%+82.9%+70.6%—17.0%0.72−23.1%0.21%$88B87%
BND BondsVanguard Total Bond Market ETF1/5 short0/3 long+0.3%−0.7%−1.7%−1.0%−1.4%+16.3%−1.0%+14.3%6.1%0.00−18.6%0.03%$389B—
ESGU Broad MarketiShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF1/5 short0/3 long−1.2%+2.3%+8.5%+12.8%+15.6%+87.6%+71.3%—17.4%0.71−33.9%0.15%$18B98%
ESGV Broad MarketVanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF1/5 short0/3 long−2.0%+2.2%+8.4%+12.2%+14.8%+88.7%+69.0%—18.5%0.66−33.7%0.09%$13B89%
ITOT Broad MarketiShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF0/5 short0/3 long−1.5%+1.8%+7.3%+12.4%+15.3%+87.4%+71.5%+297%17.4%0.71−35.0%0.03%$96B99%
VTHR Broad MarketVanguard Russell 3000 ETF0/5 short0/3 long−1.4%+2.0%+7.4%+12.5%+15.2%+87.0%+71.5%+296%17.4%0.71−34.6%0.06%$6.5B97%
IWV Broad MarketiShares Russell 3000 ETF0/5 short0/3 long−1.3%+2.1%+7.4%+12.4%+15.1%+86.5%+70.9%+293%17.3%0.71−35.2%0.20%$20B97%
SCHB Broad MarketSchwab U.S. Broad Market ETF0/5 short0/3 long−1.5%+1.8%+7.3%+12.4%+15.2%+87.3%+71.6%+282%17.3%0.71−35.3%0.03%$44B99%
VT InternationalVanguard Total World Stock ETF0/5 short0/3 long−2.9%+0.6%+4.9%+11.1%+14.9%+82.6%+62.0%+220%16.2%0.68−34.2%0.06%$101B90%
VXF Broad MarketVanguard Extended Market ETF0/5 short0/3 long−3.5%−3.1%+1.8%+9.5%+11.3%+76.3%+27.0%+192%22.4%0.33−41.7%0.05%$91B74%
IWM Broad MarketiShares Russell 2000 ETF0/5 short0/3 long−3.7%−5.6%+0.6%+12.0%+14.8%+73.3%+29.4%+157%22.4%0.34−41.1%0.19%$75B66%
VXUS InternationalVanguard Total International Stock ETF0/5 short0/3 long−5.4%−1.9%+0.8%+8.9%+14.3%+75.1%+47.2%+137%16.4%0.56−36.0%0.05%$666B72%
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How did VTI do year by year?

This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 2002, along with where VTI ranked among its popular alternatives each year. Annual results reveal how consistently each one kept pace with VTI and how far its good and bad years diverged, detail that multiyear averages tend to smooth over.

Newest year first. Green marks a year in which the fund came out ahead of VTI; gray means the two finished within a fraction of a point. The rank row places VTI among the alternatives that traded the full year; dark green is the top quarter and red the bottom quarter.

InvestmentYears ahead of VTI202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002
VTI This pageVanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF—+17.1%+23.8%+26.0%−19.5%+25.7%+21.1%+30.7%−5.2%+21.2%+12.8%+0.4%+12.5%+33.4%+16.4%+1.0%+17.4%+28.9%−37.0%+5.3%+15.7%+6.3%+12.8%+30.7%−20.5%
Rank among alternativesTop quarter in 1 of 226 of 167 of 166 of 1611 of 169 of 154 of 156 of 155 of 146 of 146 of 135 of 136 of 136 of 137 of 135 of 125 of 115 of 106 of 93 of 84 of 84 of 74 of 5——
SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF8 of 24+17.7%+24.9%+26.2%−18.2%+28.7%+18.3%+31.2%−4.6%+21.7%+12.0%+1.2%+13.5%+32.3%+16.0%+1.9%+15.1%+26.4%−36.8%+5.1%+15.9%+4.8%+10.7%+28.2%−21.6%
PRF Invesco RAFI US 1000 ETF8 of 20+18.4%+16.7%+15.7%−7.8%+31.2%+7.8%+27.4%−8.7%+16.0%+17.3%−2.9%+12.2%+35.0%+16.9%−0.5%+19.8%+41.6%−40.1%+1.8%+19.0%————
VV Vanguard Morningstar Large-Cap ETF9 of 21+18.1%+25.3%+27.2%−19.9%+27.4%+21.0%+31.3%−4.5%+22.0%+11.8%+1.0%+13.4%+32.7%+16.2%+1.4%+15.9%+27.3%−36.7%+6.2%+15.5%+6.0%———
VONE Vanguard Russell 1000 ETF2 of 15+17.2%+24.5%+26.4%−19.1%+26.5%+20.9%+31.1%−4.8%+21.5%+11.8%+0.7%+13.3%+33.0%+16.2%+1.5%—————————
SPTM State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF3 of 24+16.9%+23.9%+25.6%−17.8%+28.5%+18.0%+31.4%−5.3%+21.1%+12.3%+0.2%+13.4%+33.6%+15.8%+0.8%+17.3%+28.1%−36.6%+5.2%+14.8%+6.7%+10.5%+27.0%−21.6%
RSP Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF10 of 22+11.2%+12.8%+13.7%−11.6%+29.4%+12.7%+28.9%−7.8%+18.5%+14.5%−1.7%+15.1%+36.7%+18.6%+0.2%+21.5%+44.7%−40.0%+0.9%+15.5%+7.4%+16.5%——
DFAC Dimensional - US Core Equity 2 ETF1 of 4+15.7%+19.6%+21.9%−14.9%————————————————————
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF4 of 18+7.1%+1.4%+5.7%−13.1%−1.9%+7.7%+8.8%−0.1%+3.6%+2.5%+0.6%+5.8%−2.1%+3.9%+7.9%+6.2%+3.6%+6.9%——————
ESGU iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF4 of 9+16.9%+24.3%+25.8%−20.3%+26.9%+22.6%+31.7%−4.3%+21.1%———————————————
ESGV Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF5 of 7+16.5%+24.7%+30.8%−24.0%+26.5%+25.7%+33.3%—————————————————
ITOT iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF2 of 21+17.0%+23.8%+26.1%−19.5%+25.7%+20.7%+30.7%−5.3%+21.4%+12.6%+0.4%+13.5%+33.3%+15.8%+1.7%+16.3%+26.6%−36.4%+5.1%+15.1%+5.3%———
SCHB Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF1 of 16+16.9%+23.9%+26.1%−19.4%+25.8%+19.6%+29.5%−6.1%+20.0%+14.7%−0.7%+11.5%+31.8%+14.8%+1.0%+16.3%————————
VT Vanguard Total World Stock ETF5 of 17+22.4%+16.5%+22.0%−18.0%+18.3%+16.6%+26.8%−9.8%+24.5%+8.5%−1.9%+3.7%+22.9%+17.2%−7.5%+13.1%+32.6%———————
VXF Vanguard Extended Market ETF10 of 23+11.4%+16.9%+25.5%−26.5%+12.3%+32.5%+28.0%−9.3%+18.0%+16.2%−3.3%+7.6%+38.3%+18.6%−3.6%+27.6%+37.9%−38.6%+5.9%+15.9%+11.7%+19.5%+45.1%—
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF7 of 24+12.7%+11.4%+16.8%−20.5%+14.5%+20.0%+25.4%−11.1%+14.6%+21.6%−4.5%+5.0%+38.7%+16.7%−4.4%+26.9%+28.5%−34.2%−1.8%+18.3%+4.5%+18.0%+47.4%−20.3%
VXUS Vanguard Total International Stock ETF4 of 14+32.3%+5.1%+15.9%−16.1%+9.0%+10.7%+21.7%−14.4%+27.5%+4.8%−4.2%−4.7%+14.6%+18.6%——————————
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Risk and diversification

How VTI has fallen, how it held up in crashes beside the S&P 500 and its popular alternatives, and what moves independently of it.

What were VTI's worst declines?

A drawdown is the decline from a peak to the lowest point before a new high. This section presents VTI's five deepest drawdowns since it began trading in 2001, alongside the S&P 500's return over the same dates, and how long each took to recover. Together, these figures show how much an investor could have lost and how long it took to get back to even.

Green means VTI fell less than the S&P 500 over the same dates. Based on daily closing prices with dividends reinvested.

DuringVTI fellS&P 500, same datesPeakLowTime to the lowBack at the peakTime to recover
2008 financial crisis−55.5%−55.2%Oct 2007Mar 200917 monthsMar 20123 years
Dot-com bust−37.0%−38.1%Jun 2001Oct 200216 monthsNov 20042.1 years
Covid crash−35.0%−33.7%Feb 2020Mar 20201 monthAug 20205 months
2022 bear market−25.4%−24.5%Jan 2022Oct 20229 monthsDec 202314 months
Late-2018 sell-off−20.0%−19.4%Sep 2018Dec 20183 monthsApr 20194 months

How did VTI do in stock market crashes?

This section measures how far VTI, the S&P 500 and each alternative fell from peak to trough during every major market crash since 2000. A smaller decline means an investment held up better, and comparing results across crashes shows whether that resilience was consistent or a one-off.

Note: VTI began trading on May 31, 2001, so its row reads "Not yet trading" for the dot-com bust. The older alternatives and the S&P 500 show how those crashes played out.

Newest crash first. Each figure is the fund's deepest fall within the crash window; green means a smaller fall than VTI.

InvestmentHeld up better2023 regional bank crisisMar 20232022 bear marketJan 2022Covid crashFeb 2020Late-2018 sell-offSep 2018February 2018 volatility shockFeb 20182015 China and oil sell-offAug 20152011 euro debt crisisJul 20112010 flash crashMay 20102008 financial crisisOct 2007Dot-com bustMar 2000
VTI This pageVanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF—−4.0%−25.2%−35.0%−20.0%−6.3%−14.1%−19.5%−1.9%−55.5%Not yet trading
SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF6 of 9−3.4%−24.5%−33.7%−19.3%−6.5%−12.8%−17.9%−1.5%−55.2%−47.5%
PRF Invesco RAFI US 1000 ETF1 of 9−4.6%−19.7%−38.0%−19.7%−6.4%−13.6%−19.4%−1.5%−60.1%—
VV Vanguard Morningstar Large-Cap ETF5 of 9−3.5%−25.5%−34.3%−19.3%−6.4%−13.3%−18.6%−1.7%−54.8%—
VONE Vanguard Russell 1000 ETF2 of 7−3.8%−24.9%−34.7%−19.7%−6.3%−13.5%−18.8%———
SPTM State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF4 of 9−3.8%−24.1%−34.7%−20.2%−6.3%−13.5%−18.8%−2.0%−54.7%—
RSP Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF1 of 9−5.4%−21.4%−39.0%−19.8%−6.1%−14.8%−21.3%−1.6%−59.1%—
DFAC Dimensional - US Core Equity 2 ETF1 of 2−4.9%−23.1%————————
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF9 of 90.0%−14.6%−8.7%−1.1%−0.9%−1.5%−1.1%−0.2%−9.3%—
ESGU iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF1 of 5−3.5%−26.0%−33.9%−19.5%−5.9%—————
ESGV Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF1 of 4−4.0%−28.4%−33.7%−19.7%——————
ITOT iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF1 of 9−3.9%−25.3%−35.0%−20.1%−6.3%−14.4%−18.7%−2.0%−55.2%—
SCHB Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF0 of 8−4.0%−25.3%−35.3%−20.5%−6.2%−14.5%−19.0%−1.6%——
VT Vanguard Total World Stock ETF4 of 8−3.3%−26.2%−34.1%−17.8%−6.2%−17.2%−21.8%−0.7%——
VXF Vanguard Extended Market ETF1 of 9−7.0%−30.5%−41.7%−23.9%−5.6%−22.3%−26.3%−2.9%−57.5%—
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF1 of 9−7.1%−26.8%−40.8%−25.7%−5.5%−21.5%−27.2%−2.9%−58.4%—
VXUS Vanguard Total International Stock ETF3 of 7−2.5%−28.4%−33.4%−15.1%−6.1%−20.2%−24.2%———
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How closely does VTI move with the S&P 500?

Upside capture measures how much of the S&P 500's gains an investment kept in the months the market rose, and downside capture how much of its losses it took in the months the market fell. An investment that captures more of the gains than the losses has compounded ahead of the market over time. This section compares VTI with its popular alternatives on both measures, and on beta (how strongly each has moved with the market), over the past 10 years.

Monthly total returns over the past 10 years, measured against SPY. 100% capture or a beta of 1.00 means moving in line with the S&P 500. Green marks a better figure than VTI's: more upside, less downside or a higher capture ratio. Sorted by capture ratio.

InvestmentUpside captureDownside captureCapture ratioBeta
VTI This pageVanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF100%103%0.971.02
VV Vanguard Morningstar Large-Cap ETF101%101%1.001.01
VONE Vanguard Russell 1000 ETF100%102%0.981.02
SPTM State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF99%101%0.981.01
ITOT iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF100%103%0.971.02
PRF Invesco RAFI US 1000 ETF93%98%0.950.97
SCHB Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF99%104%0.951.03
VT Vanguard Total World Stock ETF90%98%0.920.94
RSP Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF92%107%0.861.01
VXUS Vanguard Total International Stock ETF76%91%0.840.82
VXF Vanguard Extended Market ETF100%123%0.811.19
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF98%129%0.761.17
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF13%19%0.690.15
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What diversifies VTI?

Correlation measures how closely two investments move together, on a scale from 1 (in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to -1 (in opposite directions). This section lists large ETFs and stocks whose returns have had a low correlation with VTI's. Because such investments tend not to fall at the same time, pairing VTI with them can reduce a portfolio's overall swings.

Only ETFs with at least $1.0B in assets and stocks worth at least $10B, with a correlation below 0.5 over the past 5 years and a positive return, are included, ranked by Sharpe ratio; funds that hold the same thing are shown once. The year columns are the years in which VTI lost money. The last two columns show a portfolio that is 80% VTI and 20% the other investment, rebalanced monthly.

ETFs

InvestmentCorrelation5Y returnSharpe202220182008200280/20 mix volatility80/20 mix annual return
VTI Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (this page)1.00+71.5%0.71−19.5%−5.2%−37.0%−20.5%15.9%+12.6%
XLE EnergyState Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF0.29+178%0.94+64.4%−18.2%−39.0%−14.8%15.1%+15.2%
GLD CommoditiesSPDR Gold Shares0.16+120%0.93−0.8%−1.9%+4.9%—13.7%+14.1%
AMLP EnergyAlerian MLP ETF0.47+114%0.90+25.5%−12.6%——14.8%+14.0%
DBA AlternativesInvesco DB Agriculture Fund0.17+66.7%0.81+2.5%−8.7%−19.1%—13.3%+12.5%
IHE Broad MarketiShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF0.49+83.2%0.81−4.9%−7.8%−14.8%—14.5%+12.7%
DBMF AlternativesiMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF-0.26+57.5%0.80+21.6%———12.3%+12.5%
PPH HealthcareVanEck Pharmaceutical ETF0.49+72.9%0.78+2.6%−5.9%−19.9%−24.8%14.3%+12.4%
USO CommoditiesUnited States Oil Fund, LP-0.01+180%0.74+29.0%−19.6%−56.3%—14.8%+15.8%

Stocks

InvestmentCorrelation5Y returnSharpe202220182008200280/20 mix volatility80/20 mix annual return
VTI Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (this page)1.00+71.5%0.71−19.5%−5.2%−37.0%−20.5%15.9%+12.6%
CAH Medical - DistributionCardinal Health, Inc.0.30+471%1.54+54.1%−24.5%−39.6%−8.3%15.2%+17.8%
MCK Medical - DistributionMcKesson Corporation0.19+397%1.41+51.8%−28.4%−40.4%−27.2%14.6%+17.3%
MPC Oil & Gas Refining & MarketingMarathon Petroleum Corporation0.26+660%1.39+86.6%−8.2%——15.8%+19.9%
PBR Oil & Gas IntegratedPetróleo Brasileiro S.A. - Petrobras0.13+721%1.32+55.4%+27.7%−55.6%−32.0%15.6%+19.8%
ATI Manufacturing - Metal FabricationATI Inc.0.36+913%1.29+87.5%−9.8%−70.0%−60.8%18.4%+22.9%
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Common questions

What was VTI's worst drawdown?

VTI's deepest decline since it began trading in 2001 was 55.5%, from October 2007 to March 2009. It took about three years from the low to climb back to its old high.

What were VTI's best and worst years?

Over 24 full calendar years, VTI's best year was 2013, when it returned 33.4%. Its worst was 2008, with a return of -37.0%.

Is there a better investment than VTI?

Among VTI's popular alternatives, PRF earned more than VTI with less volatility over the past 5 years: 13.0% a year at 15.0% volatility, against 11.4% a year at 17.5%. Looking beyond its popular alternatives, PVAL (US large-cap value) and IUS (US total market) earned more than VTI with less volatility over the past 5 years. PVAL returned 15.9% a year at 15.1% volatility, against 11.4% a year at 17.5%.

Is VTI more volatile than the S&P 500?

VTI's volatility over the past 5 years was 17.5%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, VTI's return lands within 17.5% of its average, either way. The higher it is, the rougher the ride and the harder it is to hold through a slump.

What is VTI's Sharpe ratio?

VTI's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.71. The Sharpe ratio is the return earned above cash for each unit of volatility: two investments with the same return are not equal if one got there with far bigger swings.

What are the best alternatives to VTI?

Of the 23 popular alternatives we compared, one outperformed VTI in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, with dividends reinvested: PRF.

Did VTI outperform the S&P 500?

VTI finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in nine of 24 full calendar years. In 2025, it returned +17.1%, against +17.7% for the index.

How did VTI do in stock market crashes?

VTI fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in none of the nine major crashes it has traded through, and further in six. The clearest case was the 2011 euro debt crisis, when VTI fell 19.5% and the S&P 500 fell 17.9%.

What diversifies VTI?

These had a low correlation with VTI over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, XLE (correlation 0.29), GLD (correlation 0.16) and AMLP (correlation 0.47); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.30), MCK (correlation 0.19) and MPC (correlation 0.26). A correlation near zero means the two have moved largely independently.

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