A side-by-side comparison of Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund ETF Shares (VGSH) and iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) 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 | VGSH | TLT |
|---|---|---|
| YTD Return | +0.24%✓ | 0.00% |
| 1-Day Change | -0.29%✓ | -99.78% |
| 1-Week Change | -0.10%✓ | -99.78% |
| 1-Month Change | +0.19%✓ | -99.78% |
| Current Price | $57.66 | $0.18 |
| AUM | $36.13B | $47.58B✓ |
| MER (Expense Ratio) | 0.04%✓ | 0.14% |
| Dividend Yield | 3.84% | 4.66%✓ |
| Distribution Frequency | — | — |
| Inception Date | 2009-11-19 | 2002-07-22 |
| Holdings Count | 1 | 9 |
| MorningStar Rating | — | — |
| Category | US Government Bonds | US Government Bonds |
| Beta | 0.25 | 2.30 |
| 52-Week High | $57.95 | $87.76 |
| 52-Week Low | $56.57 | $76.11 |
| 50-Day MA | $57.69 | $80.38 |
| 200-Day MA | $58.19 | $84.47 |
✓ marks the better value for return/yield/AUM metrics. Lower ✓ for MER.
Annualised Returns
| Period | VGSH | TLT |
|---|---|---|
| YTD | +0.24%✓ | +0.00% |
| 1 Year | +1.86%✓ | -5.61% |
| 3 Year | +4.30%✓ | +1.44% |
| 5 Year | +2.01%✓ | -7.91% |
| 10 Year | +1.87%✓ | -1.29% |
| 1Y Volatility | 1.37% | 11.75% |
| Sharpe Ratio (3Y) | -0.19 | -0.01 |
Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
Top 10 Holdings
| 1 | WIT | Wipro Limited ADR | 1.57% |
| 1 | United States Treasury Bonds 1.88% | 8.30% | |
| 2 | United States Treasury Bonds 2.38% | 7.39% | |
| 3 | United States Treasury Bonds 2.88% | 5.94% | |
| 4 | United States Treasury Bonds 3.13% | 5.27% | |
| 5 | United States Treasury Bonds 3% | 5.52% | |
| 6 | United States Treasury Bonds 2% | 4.79% | |
| 7 | United States Treasury Bonds 3.38% | 4.78% | |
| 8 | United States Treasury Bonds | 4.78% | |
| 9 | United States Treasury Bonds 2.5% | 4.41% |
Sector Weights
| Sector | VGSH | TLT |
|---|---|---|
| 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 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.
About TLT
The underlying index consists of publicly-issued U.S. Treasury securities that have a remaining maturity greater than twenty years and have $300 million or more of outstanding face value, excluding amounts held by the Federal Reserve System (the "Fed"). 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 manager believes will help the fund track the underlying ind…
Which ETF is Right for You?
Both VGSH and TLT 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, TLT 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 VGSH and TLT?
VGSH (Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund ETF Shares) and TLT (iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both Canadian-listed ETFs. Key differences include their AUM ($36.13B vs $47.58B), dividend yield (3.84% vs 4.66%), and year-to-date performance (+0.24% vs 0.00%).
Is VGSH better than TLT?
There is no single "better" ETF — it depends on your investment goals. If you prioritise recent performance, VGSH has outperformed year-to-date. Always review the fund's prospectus and consider your tax situation.
Can I buy VGSH and TLT on Wealthsimple?
Most Canadian-listed ETFs are available on Wealthsimple Trade commission-free. Both VGSH and TLT should be accessible. Check Wealthsimple's supported tickers list to confirm availability.
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