VS
Compare Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio (VBAL) vs iShares Balanced Income CorePortfolio Index ETF (XBAL) to find the best fit for your portfolio. VBAL provides Information Technology, Sovereign, and Financials exposures, while XBAL is primarily weighted in Information Technology, Financials, and Sovereign. When evaluating costs, VBAL features a management fee (MER) of 0.22%, compared to 0.18% for XBAL. Performance-wise, VBAL has returned 8.51% year-to-date with +$776 M in net flows, whereas XBAL is at 8.27% with +$461 M. Use the comparison tool below to benchmark these funds across top 10 holdings, yield, sector weights and historical returns.
NAV Performance and Flows
Key Data
Compare
VBAL
XBAL
| AuM | $5,572.50 M | $3,288.52 M |
| Management Fees | 0.22% | 0.18% |
| Exp. ratio | 0.24% | 0.19% |
| Tracking Difference | - | - |
Historical performance and flows
As of June 17, 2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | VBAL | +3.74% | +7.45% | +8.51% | +20.28% | +53.12% |
XBAL | +3.45% | +7.26% | +8.27% | +20.07% | +51.42% | |
| Flows | VBAL | +$138 M | +$364 M | +$776 M | +$1,307 M | +$1,942 M |
XBAL | +$91 M | +$207 M | +$461 M | +$882 M | +$1,655 M |
VBAL vs XBAL exposure
Countries
VBAL
Canada
41.27%
USA
33.79%
Other
24.93%
XBAL
Canada
45.34%
USA
33.74%
Other
20.92%
Sectors
VBAL
Other
14.15%
Information Technology
13.05%
Sovereign
12.21%
Financials
11.56%
Other
49.03%
XBAL
Other
12.81%
Information Technology
12.77%
Financials
11.50%
Sovereign
8.69%
Other
54.24%
As of June 17, 2026
Top 10 Holdings
VBAL
NVIDIA
1.82%
APPLE
1.58%
ROYAL BK CANADA
1.31%
MICROSOFT-T
1.20%
AMAZON.COM INC
1.01%
TORONTO DOMINION
0.94%
ALPHABET INC-CL
0.89%
BROADCOM LIMITED
0.78%
SHOPIFY SUBORDINATE VOTING
0.78%
ALPHABET INC-CL
0.70%
XBAL
NVIDIA
1.91%
APPLE
1.57%
MICROSOFT-T
1.19%
ROYAL BK CANADA
1.10%
AMAZON.COM INC
1.02%
ALPHABET INC-CL
0.88%
TORONTO DOMINION
0.79%
BROADCOM LIMITED
0.78%
ALPHABET INC-CL
0.70%
SHOPIFY SUBORDINATE VOTING
0.65%
Diversification
VBAL
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 33,766 total
11.01%
XBAL
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 21,767 total
10.58%
Characteristics
Compare
VBAL
XBAL
| Provider | Vanguard | iShares |
| Management | Actively managed | Actively managed |
| Benchmark | - | - |
| Replication Method | ||
| Asset Class | Equity, Fixed Income | Equity, Fixed Income |
| Dividend Policy | Distributing | Distributing |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | 2.05% | 2.09% |
| Meets ESG criteria | No | No |
| Inception Date | February 1, 2018 | June 21, 2007 |
Frequently asked questions about VBAL and XBAL
Which ETF has performed better year to date: VBAL or XBAL?
As of June 17, 2026, VBAL has returned 8.51% year to date, while XBAL has returned 8.27%. VBAL is ahead on YTD performance.
Which ETF is larger by assets under management: VBAL or XBAL?
As of June 17, 2026, VBAL manages $5.57 B in assets, while XBAL manages $3.29 B. VBAL is the larger fund by AUM.
How are VBAL and XBAL managed?
VBAL is actively managed by Vanguard. It does not track an index. XBAL is actively managed by iShares. It does not track an index.
What sectors do VBAL and XBAL emphasize?
VBAL is most exposed to Information Technology, Sovereign, and Financials. XBAL is most exposed to Information Technology, Financials, and Sovereign.
Which ETF is attracting more investor flows: VBAL or XBAL?
Year to date, VBAL has seen +$776.41 M in net flows, compared with +$460.98 M for XBAL. VBAL has attracted more net investor money so far.
How do the fees of VBAL and XBAL compare?
VBAL has an expense ratio of 0.24%, while XBAL has an expense ratio of 0.19%.
What are the top holdings of VBAL and XBAL?
VBAL's largest holdings include NVIDIA and ALPHABET INC-CL. XBAL's top holdings include NVIDIA and ALPHABET INC-CL.
Which ETF is more diversified: VBAL or XBAL?
VBAL holds 24762 securities, while XBAL holds 18437. On holdings count, VBAL is the more diversified portfolio.
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