What’s the difference between investing in just VUSA or just VUSD or 50/50 in both? I have seen some people say there is no difference between just one or the other and some others say 50/50 is the best. Can someone please explain?
Both are distributing. The difference is that one is priced in GBP and the other in USD. You will make the same profit in your base currency whichever you buy.
What is the purpose of having VUSA and VUSD tickers then? You are saying there is absolutely no difference which I buy if I buy using GBP?
Some people do not have access to 0 fee currency exchange and so Vanguard make this ETF available to be purchased with both currencies. For us on Trading 212 who have 0 fee currency exchange these are effectively the same.
If your currency is GBP I would advise buy VUSA to avoid the FX impact issue.
If you go to the page for the provider you can see the holdings, always worth doing on ETF to see what’s included (in this case 505) and the weighting.
The competing version from iShares is IUSA
https://www.ishares.com/uk/individual/en/products/251900/ishares-sp-500-ucits-etf-inc-fund
There is no difference to profit arising from fx impact. 10 shares of either version of this ETF, bought and sold over the same time period will give you the same GBP profit. VUSA and VUSD are the identical fund.
It’s like one finds in GAP, where one sees both prices in EUR and GBP on the same label of a sweater. Or a shoe that is labelled as UK size 8., European 43 and US 9.
If you take the USD price of a share of VUSD and convert it to pounds you will have the GBP price of a share of VUSA.
Maybe it’s late and my brain is frazzled if you bought
ÂŁ10 of VUSA
ÂŁ10 worth of VUSD (13.64 dollars)
The dollar weakens against the pound
ÂŁ10 of VUSA
13.64 dollars now gives you ÂŁ9.70
The dollar weakens again
ÂŁ10 of VUSA
13.64 dollars now gives you ÂŁ9.50
You forget that if the dollar weakens against pound by 1% the price of VUSA will also fall by 1%.
Sorry so yes same profit.
The FX is included in the SP with VUSA rather than separately. If you went with VUSD you’ll see the impact split inside the app.
Say this was VUSD
Whilst VUSA would just show ÂŁ11.23
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What we are saying is essentially correct. However, VUSA and VUSD do trade separately on the market, so the last traded price for each may have occurred at different times and there can be differing demands for the two versions. This can lead to tiny differences in apparent return over short time periods. However, these differences cannot long persist, or otherwise there would arbitrage opportunity to profit by buying one and selling the other. Consequently in practice the two versions move in near lock step differing only by the spot USDGBP rate.
By the way, I recommend considering SUUS and SUAS. These ESG SRI versions of a US market tracker have performed well compared to VUSA and IUSA. They exclude things like oil sands, tobacco and weapons.
2 Likes
Nice 
Interestingly the top 17 (up to Amex) of 131 account for 50%
| TSLA | TESLA INC | 7.12 | USD 401,303,089.20 | Consumer Discretionary | US88160R1014 |
| DIS | WALT DISNEY | 4.61 | USD 259,881,781.44 | Communication | US2546871060 |
| HD | HOME DEPOT INC | 4.28 | USD 241,483,808.37 | Consumer Discretionary | US4370761029 |
| MSFT | MICROSOFT CORP | 4.22 | USD 238,155,028.35 | Information Technology | US5949181045 |
| PG | PROCTER & GAMBLE | 4.04 | USD 228,094,124.32 | Consumer Staples | US7427181091 |
| NVDA | NVIDIA CORP | 4.01 | USD 226,423,903.44 | Information Technology | US67066G1040 |
| PEP | PEPSICO INC | 2.91 | USD 164,374,075.62 | Consumer Staples | US7134481081 |
| CRM | SALESFORCE.COM INC | 2.89 | USD 162,852,174.68 | Information Technology | US79466L3024 |
| NKE | NIKE INC CLASS B | 2.61 | USD 147,140,490.72 | Consumer Discretionary | US6541061031 |
| ACN | ACCENTURE PLC CLASS A | 2.40 | USD 135,558,676.80 | Information Technology | IE00B4BNMY34 |
| AMGN | AMGEN INC | 2.14 | USD 120,895,723.83 | Health Care | US0311621009 |
| LOW | LOWES COMPANIES INC | 1.92 | USD 108,438,515.90 | Consumer Discretionary | US5486611073 |
| BLK | BLACKROCK INC | 1.65 | USD 92,913,846.96 | Financials | US09247X1019 |
| CAT | CATERPILLAR INC | 1.57 | USD 88,266,981.70 | Industrials | US1491231015 |
| AMT | AMERICAN TOWER REIT CORP | 1.45 | USD 81,690,454.34 | Real Estate | US03027X1000 |
| DE | DEERE | 1.31 | USD 73,629,336.20 | Industrials | US2441991054 |
| AXP | AMERICAN EXPRESS | 1.24 | USD 70,010,394.65 | Financials | US0258161092 |
| MELI | MERCADOLIBRE INC | 1.24 | USD 69,771,366.84 | Consumer Discretionary | US58733R1023 |
| CI | CIGNA CORP | 1.19 | USD 67,328,167.50 | Health Care | US1255231003 |
| GILD | GILEAD SCIENCES INC | 1.18 | USD 66,486,367.20 | Health Care | US3755581036 |
| ZTS | ZOETIS INC CLASS A | 1.14 | USD 64,296,033.20 | Health Care | US98978V1035 |
| BDX | BECTON DICKINSON | 1.13 | USD 63,530,318.02 | Health Care | US0758871091 |
| PLD | PROLOGIS REIT INC | 1.07 | USD 60,431,001.84 | Real Estate | US74340W1036 |
| CSX | CSX CORP | 1.06 | USD 59,856,249.24 | Industrials | US1264081035 |
| CB | CHUBB LTD | 1.04 | USD 58,662,440.76 | Financials | CH0044328745 |
| CME | CME GROUP INC CLASS A | 1.02 | USD 57,602,970.54 | Financials | US12572Q1058 |
| CL | COLGATE-PALMOLIVE | 0.99 | USD 55,852,886.28 | Consumer Staples | US1941621039 |
| PNC | PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP INC | 0.98 | USD 55,023,516.10 | Financials | US6934751057 |
| NSC | NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP | 0.96 | USD 54,400,438.80 | Industrials | US6558441084 |
| ITW | ILLINOIS TOOL INC | 0.95 | USD 53,803,899.24 | Industrials | US4523081093 |
| EQIX | EQUINIX REIT INC | 0.93 | USD 52,477,572.96 | Real Estate | US29444U7000 |
| SHW | SHERWIN WILLIAMS | 0.88 | USD 49,738,629.15 | Materials | US8243481061 |
| VRTX | VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC | 0.87 | USD 49,192,229.45 | Health Care | US92532F1003 |
| MMC | MARSH & MCLENNAN INC | 0.84 | USD 47,623,261.44 | Financials | US5717481023 |
| EW | EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORP | 0.81 | USD 45,738,443.88 | Health Care | US28176E1082 |
| ECL | ECOLAB INC | 0.80 | USD 45,347,797.81 | Materials | US2788651006 |
| HUM | HUMANA INC | 0.80 | USD 45,075,361.62 | Health Care | US4448591028 |
| NEM | NEWMONT | 0.74 | USD 41,702,547.84 | Materials | US6516391066 |
| HCA | HCA HEALTHCARE INC | 0.68 | USD 38,214,422.33 | Health Care | US40412C1018 |
| MCO | MOODYS CORP | 0.67 | USD 37,730,441.70 | Financials | US6153691059 |
| KMB | KIMBERLY CLARK CORP | 0.66 | USD 37,497,211.74 | Consumer Staples | US4943681035 |
| BIIB | BIOGEN INC | 0.65 | USD 36,593,761.92 | Health Care | US09062X1037 |
| ROP | ROPER TECHNOLOGIES INC | 0.64 | USD 36,118,008.52 | Industrials | US7766961061 |
| LULU | LULULEMON ATHLETICA INC | 0.63 | USD 35,660,228.50 | Consumer Discretionary | US5500211090 |
| IDXX | IDEXX LABORATORIES INC | 0.62 | USD 34,893,113.94 | Health Care | US45168D1046 |
| EA | ELECTRONIC ARTS INC | 0.60 | USD 33,767,409.00 | Communication | US2855121099 |
| A | AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES INC | 0.58 | USD 32,866,850.94 | Health Care | US00846U1016 |
| JCI | JOHNSON CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL PLC | 0.57 | USD 32,351,873.73 | Industrials | IE00BY7QL619 |
| APTV | APTIV PLC | 0.57 | USD 32,278,915.50 | Consumer Discretionary | JE00B783TY65 |
| CNC | CENTENE CORP | 0.55 | USD 31,044,940.47 | Health Care | US15135B1017 |
| TRV | TRAVELERS COMPANIES INC | 0.54 | USD 30,670,262.32 | Financials | US89417E1091 |
| BK | BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORP | 0.54 | USD 30,421,620.60 | Financials | US0640581007 |
| TT | TRANE TECHNOLOGIES PLC | 0.53 | USD 29,980,791.77 | Industrials | IE00BK9ZQ967 |
| TROW | T ROWE PRICE GROUP INC | 0.53 | USD 29,915,325.00 | Financials | US74144T1088 |
| CMI | CUMMINS INC | 0.52 | USD 29,359,636.20 | Industrials | US2310211063 |
| GIS | GENERAL MILLS INC | 0.51 | USD 28,849,826.48 | Consumer Staples | US3703341046 |
| ALL | ALLSTATE CORP | 0.50 | USD 28,335,760.00 | Financials | US0200021014 |
| PRU | PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL INC | 0.49 | USD 27,910,104.93 | Financials | US7443201022 |
| INFO | IHS MARKIT LTD | 0.48 | USD 27,263,580.85 | Industrials | BMG475671050 |
| PSX | PHILLIPS | 0.46 | USD 26,042,624.36 | Energy | US7185461040 |
| RMD | RESMED INC | 0.46 | USD 25,687,916.94 | Health Care | US7611521078 |
| ES | EVERSOURCE ENERGY | 0.45 | USD 25,421,892.82 | Utilities | US30040W1080 |
| ROK | ROCKWELL AUTOMATION INC | 0.44 | USD 25,010,460.00 | Industrials | US7739031091 |
| BLL | BALL CORP | 0.44 | USD 24,731,045.46 | Materials | US0584981064 |
| MTD | METTLER TOLEDO INC | 0.43 | USD 24,500,391.52 | Health Care | US5926881054 |
| FAST | FASTENAL | 0.43 | USD 24,368,008.48 | Industrials | US3119001044 |
| VFC | VF CORP | 0.41 | USD 23,272,270.68 | Consumer Discretionary | US9182041080 |
| STT | STATE STREET CORP | 0.40 | USD 22,667,534.46 | Financials | US8574771031 |
| BBY | BEST BUY INC | 0.40 | USD 22,392,564.00 | Consumer Discretionary | US0865161014 |
| TDOC | TELADOC HEALTH INC | 0.39 | USD 21,806,903.00 | Health Care | US87918A1051 |
| CLX | CLOROX | 0.37 | USD 20,708,786.88 | Consumer Staples | US1890541097 |
| CERN | CERNER CORP | 0.37 | USD 20,655,117.73 | Health Care | US1567821046 |
| SIVB | SVB FINANCIAL GROUP | 0.36 | USD 20,283,078.51 | Financials | US78486Q1013 |
| ED | CONSOLIDATED EDISON INC | 0.35 | USD 19,615,507.20 | Utilities | US2091151041 |
| WST | WEST PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES INC | 0.32 | USD 18,327,784.33 | Health Care | US9553061055 |
| CBRE | CBRE GROUP INC CLASS A | 0.32 | USD 18,008,174.08 | Real Estate | US12504L1098 |
| KSU | KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN | 0.30 | USD 17,007,401.60 | Industrials | US4851703029 |
| HOLX | HOLOGIC INC | 0.29 | USD 16,531,050.80 | Health Care | US4364401012 |
| OKE | ONEOK INC | 0.29 | USD 16,518,519.92 | Energy | US6826801036 |
| NTRS | NORTHERN TRUST CORP | 0.28 | USD 15,833,808.52 | Financials | US6658591044 |
| MTB | M&T BANK CORP | 0.28 | USD 15,651,084.70 | Financials | US55261F1049 |
| XYL | XYLEM INC | 0.27 | USD 15,442,303.50 | Industrials | US98419M1009 |
| KEY | KEYCORP | 0.27 | USD 15,275,587.04 | Financials | US4932671088 |
| TSCO | TRACTOR SUPPLY | 0.27 | USD 15,236,190.00 | Consumer Discretionary | US8923561067 |
| GWW | WW GRAINGER INC | 0.27 | USD 14,983,231.66 | Industrials | US3848021040 |
| RF | REGIONS FINANCIAL CORP | 0.26 | USD 14,877,867.60 | Financials | US7591EP1005 |
| DGX | QUEST DIAGNOSTICS INC | 0.25 | USD 14,152,596.64 | Health Care | US74834L1008 |
| CAH | CARDINAL HEALTH INC | 0.24 | USD 13,783,825.44 | Health Care | US14149Y1082 |
| WAT | WATER CORP | 0.24 | USD 13,738,227.67 | Health Care | US9418481035 |
| ABC | AMERISOURCEBERGEN CORP | 0.24 | USD 13,611,980.40 | Health Care | US03073E1055 |
| PEAK | HEALTHPEAK PROPERTIES INC | 0.24 | USD 13,332,229.96 | Real Estate | US42250P1030 |
| STE | STERIS | 0.24 | USD 13,314,079.80 | Health Care | IE00BFY8C754 |
| VAR | VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC | 0.23 | USD 13,230,087.06 | Health Care | US92220P1057 |
| EXPD | EXPEDITORS INTERNATIONAL OF WASHIN | 0.23 | USD 13,151,159.18 | Industrials | US3021301094 |
| K | KELLOGG | 0.23 | USD 12,881,054.36 | Consumer Staples | US4878361082 |
| ALLY | ALLY FINANCIAL INC | 0.23 | USD 12,834,357.76 | Financials | US02005N1000 |
| ABMD | ABIOMED INC | 0.23 | USD 12,696,691.59 | Health Care | US0036541003 |
| PFG | PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP INC | 0.22 | USD 12,277,772.79 | Financials | US74251V1026 |
| IEX | IDEX CORP | 0.22 | USD 12,262,163.76 | Industrials | US45167R1041 |
| TDY | TELEDYNE TECHNOLOGIES INC | 0.21 | USD 11,651,395.86 | Industrials | US8793601050 |
| XRAY | DENTSPLY SIRONA INC | 0.19 | USD 10,887,372.00 | Health Care | US24906P1093 |
| CHRW | CH ROBINSON WORLDWIDE INC | 0.19 | USD 10,724,263.98 | Industrials | US12541W2098 |
| USD | USD CASH | 0.19 | USD 10,660,898.20 | Cash and/or Derivatives | - |
| HAS | HASBRO INC | 0.18 | USD 10,403,607.60 | Consumer Discretionary | US4180561072 |
| FBHS | FORTUNE BRANDS HOME AND SECURITY I | 0.18 | USD 10,376,275.20 | Industrials | US34964C1062 |
| FDS | FACTSET RESEARCH SYSTEMS INC | 0.18 | USD 9,992,752.80 | Financials | US3030751057 |
| MTN | VAIL RESORTS INC | 0.17 | USD 9,560,069.50 | Consumer Discretionary | US91879Q1094 |
| ICSUAGD | BLK ICS USD LIQ AGENCY DIS | 0.16 | USD 9,078,129.83 | Cash and/or Derivatives | IE00B50QMP13 |
| ALLE | ALLEGION PLC | 0.16 | USD 8,900,869.18 | Industrials | IE00BFRT3W74 |
| MOS | MOSAIC | 0.15 | USD 8,607,694.72 | Materials | US61945C1036 |
| BG | BUNGE LTD | 0.15 | USD 8,559,540.42 | Consumer Staples | BMG169621056 |
| HSIC | HENRY SCHEIN INC | 0.15 | USD 8,475,441.84 | Health Care | US8064071025 |
| IFF | INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS & FRAGRANCES | 0.15 | USD 8,262,413.64 | Materials | US4595061015 |
| CABO | CABLE ONE INC | 0.14 | USD 8,087,959.75 | Communication | US12685J1051 |
| JAZZ | JAZZ PHARMACEUTICALS PLC | 0.14 | USD 8,023,749.53 | Health Care | IE00B4Q5ZN47 |
| DVA | DAVITA INC | 0.14 | USD 7,945,087.50 | Health Care | US23918K1088 |
| LBTYK | LIBERTY GLOBAL PLC CLASS C | 0.14 | USD 7,882,876.93 | Communication | GB00B8W67B19 |
| BWA | BORGWARNER INC | 0.14 | USD 7,801,561.80 | Consumer Discretionary | US0997241064 |
| MHK | MOHAWK INDUSTRIES INC | 0.14 | USD 7,778,766.49 | Consumer Discretionary | US6081901042 |
| IRM | IRON MOUNTAIN INC | 0.13 | USD 7,300,803.96 | Real Estate | US46284V1017 |
| OC | OWENS CORNING | 0.13 | USD 7,291,652.51 | Industrials | US6907421019 |
| CPB | CAMPBELL SOUP | 0.12 | USD 6,935,426.52 | Consumer Staples | US1344291091 |
| STLD | STEEL DYNAMICS INC | 0.12 | USD 6,897,632.00 | Materials | US8581191009 |
| IVZ | INVESCO LTD | 0.12 | USD 6,650,180.00 | Financials | BMG491BT1088 |
| BEN | FRANKLIN RESOURCES INC | 0.11 | USD 6,418,994.24 | Financials | US3546131018 |
| RHI | ROBERT HALF | 0.11 | USD 6,005,828.50 | Industrials | US7703231032 |
| AXTA | AXALTA COATING SYSTEMS LTD | 0.09 | USD 5,312,280.87 | Materials | BMG0750C1082 |
| LBTYA | LIBERTY GLOBAL PLC CLASS A | 0.06 | USD 3,350,216.81 | Communication | GB00B8W67662 |
| HSBFT | CASH COLLATERAL USD HSBFT | 0.02 | USD 1,100,000.00 | Cash and/or Derivatives | - |
| EUR | EUR CASH | 0.00 | USD 60,050.92 | Cash and/or Derivatives | - |
| ESH1 | S&P500 EMINI MAR 21 | 0.00 | USD 0.00 | Cash and/or Derivatives | - |
1 Like
Yes, the top holdings in this ETF are ones I would be happy to own. You can use Morningstar to plot the charts of SUAS and VUSA together. SUAS dominates over almost all periods. SDUS is a similar ESG fund. iShares have 3 categories of ESG funds: Screened, Enhanced, and SRI with increasing levels of ESG attractiveness. I am now buying these alongside VUSA. Similarly, the SRI world tracker SUWS has been outperforming SWDA and VWRL.
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just in case
I also decided that SUAS was offering me a relatively safe way to dip my toe in the world of TSLA. It is weighted more in SUAS than in the S&P 500 and in VUSA.
Very interesting ones 
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I like the look of it, I would love to get out of oil etc. but is it worth the 0.68% charge compared to the 0.07% of VUSA?
The charge on these is 0.20%, not 0.68%. So long as they outperform VUSA, I don’t care if Blackrock make a bit more money. (I also own Blackrock shares.) There are also two others at 0.07%.
Blackrock is an advocate of ESG investing and prices the Screened versions of such funds the same as their non ESG funds.
Yeah I just checked the fact sheet and you’re right, I might replace or just add this into my LISA instead of VUSA
Edit: can’t find it as a regular fund only ETF so I guess not lol
