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Compare Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio (VBAL) vs iShares Balanced Income CorePortfolio Index ETF (XBAL) to find the best fit for your portfolio. VBAL provides Sovereign, Information Technology, 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 3.73% year-to-date with +$571 M in net flows, whereas XBAL is at 3.12% with +$321 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 | $5,126.78 M | $2,995.90 M |
| Management Fees | 0.22% | 0.18% |
| Exp. ratio | 0.24% | 0.19% |
| Tracking Difference | - | - |
Historical performance and flows
As of April 28, 2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | VBAL | +5.20% | +1.56% | +3.73% | +19.21% | +45.77% |
XBAL | +4.57% | +1.12% | +3.12% | +17.77% | +44.11% | |
| Flows | VBAL | +$114 M | +$438 M | +$571 M | +$1,165 M | +$1,774 M |
XBAL | +$44 M | +$219 M | +$321 M | +$801 M | +$1,529 M |
VBAL vs XBAL exposure
Countries
VBAL
Canada
42.17%
USA
33.29%
Other
24.53%
XBAL
Canada
46.26%
USA
33.16%
Other
20.58%
Sectors
VBAL
Other
13.62%
Sovereign
12.96%
Information Technology
11.84%
Financials
11.34%
Municipal
7.12%
Other
43.13%
XBAL
Other
12.36%
Information Technology
11.62%
Financials
11.19%
Sovereign
9.15%
Other
55.68%
As of April 28, 2026
Top 10 Holdings
VBAL
NVIDIA
1.68%
APPLE
1.56%
ROYAL BK CANADA
1.28%
MICROSOFT-T
1.15%
TORONTO DOMINION
0.89%
AMAZON.COM INC
0.84%
SHOPIFY SUBORDINATE VOTING
0.82%
ALPHABET INC-CL
0.70%
ENBRIDGE
0.67%
BROADCOM LIMITED
0.61%
XBAL
NVIDIA
1.77%
APPLE
1.55%
MICROSOFT-T
1.14%
ROYAL BK CANADA
1.04%
AMAZON.COM INC
0.85%
TORONTO DOMINION
0.72%
ALPHABET INC-CL
0.70%
SHOPIFY SUBORDINATE VOTING
0.67%
BROADCOM LIMITED
0.61%
ALPHABET INC-CL
0.56%
Diversification
VBAL
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 33,845 total
10.19%
XBAL
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 21,721 total
9.62%
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 | 2.14% | 2.19% |
| 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 April 28, 2026, VBAL has returned 3.73% year to date, while XBAL has returned 3.12%. VBAL is ahead on YTD performance.
Which ETF is larger by assets under management: VBAL or XBAL?
As of April 28, 2026, VBAL manages $5.13 B in assets, while XBAL manages $3.00 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 Sovereign, Information Technology, 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 +$571.15 M in net flows, compared with +$320.73 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 APPLE. XBAL's top holdings include NVIDIA and APPLE.
Which ETF is more diversified: VBAL or XBAL?
VBAL holds 24963 securities, while XBAL holds 18569. On holdings count, VBAL is the more diversified portfolio.
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