SPDW vs VEA Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
SPDW and VEA are nearly interchangeable international developed market ETFs providing broad ex-U.S. equity exposure across Europe, Japan, Canada, and Australia. SPDW has a marginally lower expense ratio (0.03% vs 0.05%), while VEA has dramatically more AUM and liquidity. For most investors, the choice between them will have negligible long-term impact — both are excellent low-cost international core holdings.
SPDW vs VEA is a marginal cost-versus-liquidity comparison for near-identical international developed market exposure — either ETF serves as an effective complement to a U.S. equity allocation, with SPDW having a slight cost edge and VEA having a significant liquidity advantage.
SPDW and VEA are closely matched — they split the tracked metrics evenly. VEA has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+34.18% vs +34.02% for SPDW).
- →prefer the lowest possible expense ratio (0.03%) for international developed market exposure
- →value State Street's SPDR Portfolio ETF lineup for ultra-low-cost multi-asset-class portfolio construction
- →want marginal cost optimization in an asset class where returns have historically been modest
- →are comfortable with lower AUM and trading volume relative to VEA in exchange for expense savings
- →prefer the most liquid international developed market ETF with the largest AUM for easy trading in all market conditions
- →value Vanguard's ownership structure and long-term investor orientation for core portfolio allocations
- →want the standard international developed market vehicle used in popular three-fund and four-fund lazy portfolio strategies
- →are comfortable paying 0.05% (vs SPDW's 0.03%) for significantly better liquidity and brand recognition
| Metric | SPDW | VEA |
|---|---|---|
| ETF score | 91.0 | 94.0 |
| Latest close | $51.83 | $72.31 |
| 1M return | +5.58% | +5.36% |
| 6M return | +19.30% | +19.39% |
| 1Y return | +34.02% | +34.18% |
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | SPDW | VEA |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $13.88K (+38.8%) started 2025-06-18 | $13.92K (+39.2%) started 2025-06-18 |
| 5Y ago | $19.35K (+93.5%) started 2021-06-18 | $19.7K (+97.0%) started 2021-06-18 |
| 10Y ago | $36.74K (+267.4%) started 2016-06-20 | $38.12K (+281.2%) started 2016-06-20 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | SPDW | VEA |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| Total assets (AUM) | $40.94B | $317.3B |
| Dividend yield | 2.86% | 2.61% |
| Trailing P/E | 18.89 | 18.64 |
| Beta | 0.84 | 0.85 |
| 52-week change | 34.02% | 34.18% |
| Metric | SPDW | VEA |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y return | +34.02% | +34.18% |
| 6M return | +19.30% | +19.39% |
| 1M return | +5.58% | +5.36% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 1.60 | 1.60 |
| Beta | 0.84 | 0.85 |
| Dividend yield | 2.86% | 2.61% |
| 5Y CAGR | +10.35% | +10.55% |
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | SPDW | VEA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +34.02% | +34.18% |
| CAGR | +34.04% | +34.21% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.60 | 1.60 | |
| Max drawdown | 11.55% | 11.63% | |
| Max daily drop | 3.71% | 3.72% | |
| Max wkly drop | 6.96% | 7.06% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +63.65% | +65.12% |
| CAGR | +10.35% | +10.55% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.41 | 0.42 | |
| Max drawdown | 30.21% | 29.71% | |
| Max daily drop | 6.34% | 6.33% | |
| Max wkly drop | 10.59% | 10.51% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +169.11% | +170.47% |
| CAGR | +10.41% | +10.47% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.40 | 0.40 | |
| Max drawdown | 34.98% | 35.74% | |
| Max daily drop | 11.19% | 11.18% | |
| Max wkly drop | 20.69% | 20.94% |
| Category | SPDW | VEA |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF | Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets Index Fund ETF Shares |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| Total assets (AUM) | $40.94B | $317.3B |
| Dividend yield | 2.86% | 2.61% |
- →0.03% expense ratio is one of the cheapest international ETFs available, minimizing cost drag in a historically modest-return asset class
- →Broad coverage including small-cap stocks in developed markets provides more complete international exposure than large-cap-only international ETFs
- →State Street's brand and operational infrastructure ensure reliable index tracking
- →Largest international ETF by AUM ($120B+), providing excellent secondary market liquidity for retail and institutional investors
- →0.05% expense ratio is among the cheapest international ETFs, though SPDW is marginally cheaper at 0.03%
- →FTSE index covers 4,000+ developed market companies including small-caps, providing very broad international diversification
- →SPDW and VEA are nearly identical in exposure — the primary differentiator is cost, where SPDW has a slight edge but VEA is also extremely cheap
- →Developed markets outside the U.S. have generally underperformed U.S. equities for over a decade, reducing the appeal of international allocation overall
- →Currency risk from Japanese yen, euro, and pound exposure adds volatility beyond the underlying equity returns
- →SPDW's 0.03% expense ratio is 40% cheaper than VEA's 0.05% — small but real over long holding periods in a cost-sensitive asset class
- →Developed market equities have significantly underperformed U.S. equities over the past decade, creating performance frustration for broad international allocators
- →Currency headwinds from USD strength have periodically reduced the USD-denominated returns for VEA holders
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