Compare Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio (VBAL) vs BMO Balanced ETF (ZBAL) to find the best fit for your portfolio. VBAL provides Finance, Sovereign, and Technology exposures, while ZBAL is primarily weighted in Finance, Technology, and Sovereign. When evaluating costs, VBAL features a management fee (MER) of 0.22%, compared to 0.18% for ZBAL. Performance-wise, VBAL has returned 7.97% year-to-date with +$1 B in net flows, whereas ZBAL is at 8.03% with +$242 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
ZBAL
| AuM | $5,973.84 M | $717.29 M |
| Management Fees | 0.22% | 0.18% |
| Exp. ratio | 0.24% | 0.20% |
| Tracking Difference | - | - |
Historical performance and flows
As of October 23, 2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | VBAL | -0.90% | +0.45% | +7.97% | +8.59% | +57.09% |
ZBAL | -0.94% | +0.38% | +8.03% | +8.56% | +54.70% | |
| Flows | VBAL | +$125 M | +$341 M | +$1,270 M | +$1,542 M | +$2,369 M |
ZBAL | +$50 M | +$80 M | +$242 M | +$265 M | +$463 M |
VBAL vs ZBAL exposure
Countries
VBAL
Canada
40.41%
USA
33.80%
Other
25.79%
ZBAL
Canada
42.58%
USA
38.40%
Other
19.02%
Sectors
VBAL
Finance
20.77%
Sovereign
16.34%
Technology
15.88%
Municipal
7.34%
Other
39.67%
ZBAL
Finance
18.99%
Technology
17.38%
Sovereign
14.70%
Municipal
8.61%
Industrials
7.29%
Other
33.04%
As of October 23, 2026
Top 10 Holdings
VBAL
NVIDIA Corp.
1.88%
Apple, Inc.
1.72%
Royal Bank of Canada
1.44%
Microsoft Corp.
1.40%
The Toronto-Dominion Bank
1.02%
Amazon.com, Inc.
0.93%
Shopify, Inc.
0.91%
Alphabet, Inc.
0.74%
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
0.68%
Broadcom Inc.
0.65%
ZBAL
Canada, Bond 0.5 1oct2030 10Y
5.06%
NVIDIA Corp.
2.20%
Apple, Inc.
1.96%
CMHC, 1.9% 15mar2031, CAD (100)
1.72%
Microsoft Corp.
1.59%
Sun Life Financial, 2.06% 1oct2035, CAD (2020-2)
1.54%
Province of Quebec, 1.5% 1sep2031, CAD (B128)
1.50%
Province of Ontario, 2.05% 2jun2030, CAD (DMTN243)
1.40%
Province of Ontario, 2.65% 2dec2050, CAD (DMTN242)
1.38%
Canada, Bonds 2.25% 1dec2029, CAD
1.25%
Diversification
VBAL
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 33,610 total
11.37%
ZBAL
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 19,935 total
19.60%
Characteristics
Compare
VBAL
ZBAL
| Provider | Vanguard | BMO |
| Management | Actively managed | Actively managed |
| Benchmark | - | - |
| Replication Method | - | - |
| Asset Class | Equity, Fixed Income | Equity, Fixed Income |
| Dividend Policy | Distributing | Distributing |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | 2.16% | 1.57% |
| Meets ESG criteria | No | No |
| Inception Date | February 1, 2018 | February 15, 2019 |
Frequently asked questions about VBAL and ZBAL
Which ETF has performed better year to date: VBAL or ZBAL?
As of October 23, 2026, VBAL has returned 7.97% year to date, while ZBAL has returned 8.03%. ZBAL is ahead on YTD performance.
Which ETF is larger by assets under management: VBAL or ZBAL?
As of October 23, 2026, VBAL manages $5.97 B in assets, while ZBAL manages $717.29 M. VBAL is the larger fund by AUM.
How are VBAL and ZBAL managed?
VBAL is actively managed by Vanguard. It does not track an index. ZBAL is actively managed by BMO. It does not track an index.
What sectors do VBAL and ZBAL emphasize?
VBAL is most exposed to Finance, Sovereign, and Technology. ZBAL is most exposed to Finance, Technology, and Sovereign.
Which ETF is attracting more investor flows: VBAL or ZBAL?
Year to date, VBAL has seen +$1,269.66 M in net flows, compared with +$242.48 M for ZBAL. VBAL has attracted more net investor money so far.
How do the fees of VBAL and ZBAL compare?
VBAL has an expense ratio of 0.24%, while ZBAL has an expense ratio of 0.20%.
What are the top holdings of VBAL and ZBAL?
VBAL's largest holdings include NVIDIA Corp. and Apple, Inc.. ZBAL's top holdings include Canada, Bond 0.5 1oct2030 10Y and NVIDIA Corp..
Which ETF is more diversified: VBAL or ZBAL?
VBAL holds 28170 securities, while ZBAL holds 11677. On holdings count, VBAL is the more diversified portfolio.
Recent articles about VBAL and ZBAL
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