BNDX vs IAGG ETF Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
BNDX and IAGG are functionally identical ETFs — both providing USD-hedged international investment-grade bond exposure at 0.07% expense ratio. BNDX has larger AUM and is part of Vanguard's two-fund/three-fund portfolio approach. IAGG is iShares' equivalent for investors in the BlackRock ecosystem. Performance difference between the two is minimal; brokerage affiliation is the practical decision driver.
BNDX vs IAGG — Both are USD-hedged international investment-grade bond ETFs at identical expense ratios. Choose BNDX for Vanguard ecosystem and larger AUM liquidity; choose IAGG for iShares/BlackRock platform integration. The investment thesis is the same: global bond diversification with currency risk eliminated.
BNDX and IAGG are closely matched — they split the tracked metrics evenly. IAGG has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+2.69% vs +2.25% for BNDX).
- →use Vanguard's two-fund or three-fund portfolio approach (BND + BNDX for complete global bond exposure) in their Vanguard or Fidelity accounts
- →want the most liquid and largest international bond ETF with the deepest institutional ownership for ease of rebalancing at scale
- →follow Vanguard's model portfolio allocation frameworks that explicitly reference BNDX as the international bond component
- →prefer BNDX's longer track record and larger AUM providing more extensive historical performance data and institutional familiarity
- →build portfolios within iShares/BlackRock's ecosystem using IAGG alongside IEFA (international equity), IEMG (EM equity), and IUSB (US bonds)
- →prefer BlackRock's Aladdin-based portfolio construction tools that integrate IAGG as the international bond building block
- →want issuer-capped international bond exposure that may provide marginally better diversification vs uncapped international bond indexes
- →hold accounts at brokerages with preferred iShares fund placement or commission structures favoring IAGG
| Metric | BNDX | IAGG |
|---|---|---|
| ETF score | 48.0 | 38.0 |
| Latest close | $48.35 | $50.53 |
| 1M return | +1.84% | +1.72% |
| 6M return | +1.19% | +1.70% |
| 1Y return | +2.25% | +2.69% |
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | BNDX | IAGG |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $10.69K (+6.9%) started 2025-06-18 | $10.65K (+6.5%) started 2025-06-18 |
| 5Y ago | $12.54K (+25.4%) started 2021-06-18 | $12.39K (+23.9%) started 2021-06-18 |
| 10Y ago | $16.86K (+68.6%) started 2016-06-20 | $16.61K (+66.1%) started 2016-06-20 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | BNDX | IAGG |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.07% | 0.07% |
| Total assets (AUM) | $122.03B | $13.48B |
| Dividend yield | 4.46% | 3.65% |
| Trailing P/E | N/A | N/A |
| Beta | 0.22 | 0.22 |
| 52-week change | 2.25% | 2.69% |
| Metric | BNDX | IAGG |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y return | +2.25% | +2.69% |
| 6M return | +1.19% | +1.70% |
| 1M return | +1.84% | +1.72% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | -0.64 | -0.63 |
| Beta | 0.22 | 0.22 |
| Dividend yield | 4.46% | 3.65% |
| 5Y CAGR | +0.43% | +1.18% |
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | BNDX | IAGG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +2.25% | +2.69% |
| CAGR | +2.25% | +2.70% | |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.64 | -0.63 | |
| Max drawdown | 2.93% | 2.32% | |
| Max daily drop | 0.83% | 0.68% | |
| Max wkly drop | 1.34% | 1.02% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +2.18% | +6.02% |
| CAGR | +0.43% | +1.18% | |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.81 | -0.72 | |
| Max drawdown | 15.86% | 13.57% | |
| Max daily drop | 1.46% | 1.05% | |
| Max wkly drop | 3.26% | 2.65% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +18.81% | +24.58% |
| CAGR | +1.74% | +2.22% | |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.66 | -0.55 | |
| Max drawdown | 16.23% | 13.88% | |
| Max daily drop | 2.29% | 2.11% | |
| Max wkly drop | 5.32% | 5.22% |
| Category | BNDX | IAGG |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund | iShares Core International Aggregate Bond ETF |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratio | 0.07% | 0.07% |
| Total assets (AUM) | $122.03B | $13.48B |
| Dividend yield | 4.46% | 3.65% |
- →Currency hedging eliminates FX volatility: BNDX's USD hedge removes the additional return variability from foreign currency movements — investors earn international yield premiums without currency risk
- →Global bond diversification complement to BND: BNDX + BND provides complete global bond market coverage following the Vanguard two-fund fixed income approach
- →0.07% low expense ratio: Vanguard's cost leadership in international bonds — BNDX's expense is competitive for a currency-hedged international bond fund that typically charges 0.20-0.30%+
- →Identical 0.07% expense ratio to BNDX: IAGG provides equivalent international bond exposure at the same Vanguard-level cost — no expense penalty for choosing iShares over Vanguard for international bonds
- →iShares ecosystem integration: IAGG pairs naturally with iShares core equity (IEFA, IEMG) and US bond (IUSB) ETFs in BlackRock's portfolio construction tools
- →10% issuer capping: IAGG's issuer concentration limits may provide marginally better diversification vs BNDX for country/issuer-concentrated international bond markets
- →Currency hedging cost varies with rate differentials: hedging costs are tied to the interest rate differential between USD and foreign currencies — when US rates are higher than foreign rates, hedging becomes expensive and reduces BNDX returns
- →Developed market low yields: Japan, Germany, and European government bonds often yield less than equivalent US Treasuries — BNDX's yield may be lower than comparable US bond alternatives
- →Complexity of hedging exposure: currency hedging adds a derivatives layer that makes BNDX's return attribution more complex than unhedged international bond funds
- →Lower AUM and liquidity than BNDX: IAGG has smaller assets than BNDX — slightly wider bid-ask spreads for large institutional rebalancing
- →Same currency hedging cost exposure: like BNDX, IAGG's hedging costs vary with US-international rate differentials — not a differentiator between the two
- →Near-identical to BNDX for investment purposes: the practical performance difference between BNDX and IAGG is negligible — brokerage preference and ecosystem fit dominate the choice
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