A side-by-side comparison of iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHY) and Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund ETF Shares (VGSH) to help Canadian investors make an informed decision.
1-Year Performance
Normalised to 100 at the start — shows relative return over the trailing 12 months.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | SHY | VGSH |
|---|---|---|
| YTD Return | +0.21% | +0.24%✓ |
| 1-Day Change | -0.33% | -0.29%✓ |
| 1-Week Change | -0.10%✓ | -0.10% |
| 1-Month Change | +0.18%✓ | +0.19% |
| Current Price | $81.32 | $57.66 |
| AUM | $27.74B | $36.13B✓ |
| MER (Expense Ratio) | 0.15% | 0.04%✓ |
| Dividend Yield | 3.46% | 3.84%✓ |
| Distribution Frequency | — | — |
| Inception Date | 2002-07-22 | 2009-11-19 |
| Holdings Count | 1 | 1 |
| MorningStar Rating | — | — |
| Category | US Government Bonds | US Government Bonds |
| Beta | 0.25 | 0.25 |
| 52-Week High | $81.68 | $57.95 |
| 52-Week Low | $79.89 | $56.57 |
| 50-Day MA | $81.38 | $57.69 |
| 200-Day MA | $82.08 | $58.19 |
✓ marks the better value for return/yield/AUM metrics. Lower ✓ for MER.
Annualised Returns
| Period | SHY | VGSH |
|---|---|---|
| YTD | +0.21% | +0.24%✓ |
| 1 Year | +1.75% | +1.86%✓ |
| 3 Year | +3.93% | +4.30%✓ |
| 5 Year | +2.06%✓ | +2.01% |
| 10 Year | +1.67% | +1.87%✓ |
| 1Y Volatility | 1.42% | 1.37% |
| Sharpe Ratio (3Y) | -0.26 | -0.19 |
Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
Top 10 Holdings
| 1 | XTSLA | BlackRock Cash Funds Treasury SL Agency | 1.36% |
| 1 | WIT | Wipro Limited ADR | 1.57% |
Sector Weights
| Sector | SHY | VGSH |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Materials | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Communication Services | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Consumer Cyclicals | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Consumer Defensive | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Energy | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Financial Services | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Healthcare | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Industrials | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Real Estate | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Technology | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Utilities | 0.00% | 0.00% |
About SHY
The underlying index consists of publicly-issued U.S. Treasury securities that have a remaining maturity of greater than or equal to one year and less than three years and have $300 million or more of outstanding face value, excluding amounts held by the Federal Reserve System. The fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of the underlying index, and the fund will invest at least 90% of its assets in U.S. Treasury securities that BFA believes will help the fund tra…
About VGSH
The fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index. This index includes fixed income securities issued by the U.S. Treasury (not including inflation-protected securities, floating rate securities and certain other security types), all with maturities between 1 and 3 years. At least 80% of the fund's assets will be invested in bonds included in the index.
Which ETF is Right for You?
Both SHY and VGSH are listed on Canadian exchanges and accessible through most Canadian brokerages including Questrade, Wealthsimple Trade, TD Direct, and Interactive Brokers.
Based on the available data, VGSH scores higher across our tracked metrics including YTD performance, dividend yield, and AUM — though both ETFs warrant individual research before investing.
- Consider your account type (TFSA, RRSP, non-registered) as it can affect dividend taxation.
- Compare management expense ratios (MER) directly on each provider's website.
- Look at average daily trading volume to assess liquidity.
- Review the fund's underlying index and holdings to ensure the exposure matches your goals.
This is not financial advice. Always do your own research or consult a licensed financial advisor before investing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between SHY and VGSH?
SHY (iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF) and VGSH (Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund ETF Shares) are both Canadian-listed ETFs. Key differences include their AUM ($27.74B vs $36.13B), dividend yield (3.46% vs 3.84%), and year-to-date performance (+0.21% vs +0.24%).
Is SHY better than VGSH?
There is no single "better" ETF — it depends on your investment goals. If you prioritise dividends, compare both yields and choose based on your income needs. Always review the fund's prospectus and consider your tax situation.
Can I buy SHY and VGSH on Wealthsimple?
Most Canadian-listed ETFs are available on Wealthsimple Trade commission-free. Both SHY and VGSH should be accessible. Check Wealthsimple's supported tickers list to confirm availability.
Free newsletter · Every Tuesday morning
The Tuesday Stock Pick
One Canadian stock and the case for it.
- The name with the biggest gap to analyst targets
- The chart, insider buying and what is driving it
- A plain-English bottom line, no hype