Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF
Issued by Vanguard
What VTI Is
The entire U.S. stock market in one fund at near-zero cost
VTI is Vanguard's flagship ETF and one of the most popular investment funds in the world. It tracks the CRSP US Total Market Index — virtually every publicly traded U.S. company from mega-caps like Apple and Microsoft down to micro-caps. With ~3,700 holdings and a 0.03% expense ratio (you pay $3/year per $10,000 invested), VTI is the definitive low-cost, total-market core holding for long-term investors.
What It Tracks
CRSP US Total Market Index — approximately 3,700+ U.S. publicly listed companies across all market caps: large, mid, small, and micro. Covers roughly 100% of the investable U.S. equity market by market capitalisation.
Why Own VTI
VTI provides the broadest possible U.S. equity exposure at the lowest possible cost. Unlike SPY or QQQ which exclude smaller companies, VTI captures small and mid-cap stocks that historically have provided significant return contributions over long periods. For investors with a 20+ year horizon, VTI is hard to beat as a foundational holding.
The Case For and Against
Strengths
- 0.03% expense ratio — you pay just $3 per year per $10,000 invested
- ~3,700 holdings — the most complete single-fund representation of U.S. equities available
- Includes small and mid-cap companies that SPY and QQQ exclude — historically adds long-term return
- Vanguard's mutual ownership structure permanently aligns incentives with investors
Trade-offs
- ~3,000 small/micro-cap holdings each have tiny weight, adding minimal near-term return impact
- Lower intraday liquidity than SPY — not ideal for very large intraday trades
- U.S. only — no international exposure
- By design tracks market returns — no outperformance potential relative to U.S. total market
Who It Suits
Long-term buy-and-hold investors who want the broadest possible U.S. equity exposure at the absolute minimum cost. The ideal foundational holding for a retirement portfolio or any passive indexing strategy.
Performance
| Period | Return | Annualised | Window started | Price then |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Month | -5.0% | — | 2026-10-07 | $381.03 |
| 3 Months | -5.2% | — | 2026-08-07 | $381.78 |
| 6 Months | -0.3% | — | 2026-05-08 | $362.87 |
| YTD | +8.0% | — | 2025-12-31 | $335.27 |
| 1 Year | +9.9% | — | 2025-11-06 | $329.37 |
| 2 Years | +23.4% | +11.1% | 2024-11-06 | $293.28 |
| 5 Years | +49.3% | +8.3% | 2021-11-05 | $242.36 |
| Since Inception | +550.2% | +7.6% | 2001-06-15 | $55.67 |
Price returns only, computed from 6387 daily closes — before commissions, spreads and tax, and excluding any distributions, so a fund that pays income has earned more than these figures show. Annualised figures appear only for windows longer than about 13 months. This fund has a share split on record; figures are computed from unadjusted closes and should be re-verified. These are not the fund's official NAV-based returns — see the issuer's fact sheet for those.
Trading & Market Data
VTI is trading inside its 52-week range. A high reading is not a sell signal and a low one is not a bargain — it only says where the last year's prices sit relative to today.
What the Expense Ratio Costs
VTI charges 0.03% a year. Deducted daily from net asset value, never billed separately, so it is easy to miss. On a flat $10,000 position — holding the price steady to isolate the fee from the returns — it compounds to:
An illustration, not a projection: in reality the fee is charged against a balance that moves, so the dollar cost rises with a fund that grows and falls with one that shrinks. It also excludes bid-ask spread, brokerage commission and — for funds structured as commodity pools or partnerships — any additional filing complexity.
Asset Allocation
Top Holdings (10 shown)
Holdings data sourced from Yahoo Finance. Weights change over time — verify current holdings on the issuer's official fund page.
Sector Weights
Related Broad Market ETFs
VTI — Common Questions
VTI vs SPY — which should I own?
Both are excellent core holdings. VTI has a lower expense ratio (0.03% vs 0.0945%) and broader coverage (~3,700 stocks vs 503). SPY has far higher liquidity. For long-term buy-and-hold investors, VTI saves money on fees and provides slightly broader exposure — the better choice for most individual investors. SPY is preferred by traders and institutions for its intraday liquidity.
Does VTI include international stocks?
No — VTI covers only U.S.-listed companies. For international diversification, Vanguard's VEA (developed markets) or VXUS (ex-U.S. total market) are the standard companion funds. The classic three-fund portfolio pairs VTI with VEA/VXUS and a bond fund for complete global diversification.
What does VTI actually track?
Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF is a broad market ETF from Vanguard. Its largest disclosed position is NVIDIA Corp at 7.13% of the fund, and its heaviest sector exposure is Technology at 38.10%.
How much does VTI charge?
0.03% per year, deducted from net asset value rather than billed to you. On $10,000 held for ten years with a flat price that is about $30.
How has VTI performed?
Over the past year the price rose 9.9%, and since 2001-06-15 it is +550.2%. Its worst peak-to-trough fall on record is -56.7%, between Oct 9, 2007 and Mar 9, 2009. Those are price returns as of 2026-11-06 and exclude distributions.
How large is VTI?
About $2.3T in assets, trading roughly 3.22M shares a day over the last three months. Size and volume matter mainly for how cheaply you can get in and out: a thinly traded fund costs more in spread than its expense ratio suggests.
Is VTI right for me?
That depends on what the rest of your portfolio already holds, not on this fund's recent returns. Nothing on this page is a recommendation — check the issuer's prospectus and, if it matters to your taxes or retirement, a licensed adviser.
Disclaimer: This page is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. ETF data is sourced from Yahoo Finance and public fund documents and may change — always verify current data on the issuer's official website before investing. All investments involve risk.
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