IEFA vs VT Overlap
IEFA is an equity ETF from IShares, while VT is an equity ETF from Vanguard. IEFA and VT show meaningful overlap, with an estimated weighted overlap of 20.46%. They share 1980 holdings in the loaded dataset, led by ASML.AS, HSBA.L, and NOVN.SW.
Served from cache.
Quick Answer
IEFA is an equity ETF from IShares, while VT is an equity ETF from Vanguard. IEFA and VT show meaningful overlap, with an estimated weighted overlap of 20.46%. They share 1980 holdings in the loaded dataset, led by ASML.AS, HSBA.L, and NOVN.SW.
- 20.46% weighted overlap across 1980 shared holdings.
- The top three shared holdings explain 5.19% of the measured overlap.
- VT is the broader fund, while IEFA is more targeted.
- The overlap is mostly explained by the top shared positions rather than sector labels alone.
- Holding both may add less diversification than the fund names imply.
Data Freshness
- IEFA holdings
- Mar 12, 2026
- VT holdings
- Mar 12, 2026
- Overlap computed
- Mar 15, 2026
- Data source
- Financial Modeling Prep
Review the methodology for the overlap formula and refresh policy.
Compare another pair
About These ETFs
What Stands Out In This Comparison
What This Means
IEFA is an equity ETF from IShares, while VT is an equity ETF from Vanguard. IEFA and VT overlap enough to matter, but they still bring different exposures to a portfolio. The overlap is concentrated in holdings such as ASML.AS, HSBA.L, and NOVN.SW, which explains why the score lands at 20.46%.
How They Differ
IEFA is an equity ETF from IShares, while VT is an equity ETF from Vanguard. VT is the broader fund, while IEFA is the more targeted sleeve. VT has the lower expense ratio, while IEFA charges more for its exposure.
What Drives The Overlap
The overlap is driven by a relatively small set of large shared positions. The top three shared holdings account for 5.19% of the score, which means the result is heavily influenced by the biggest common weights rather than a long tail of tiny positions.
When One May Fit Better
If you want the broader portfolio building block, VT is usually the wider choice. If you want the more focused tilt, IEFA is the narrower expression. VT has the lower expense ratio, while IEFA charges more for its exposure.
Overlap Driver Snapshot
Concentration
The top three shared holdings explain 5.19% of the full overlap score.
That helps show whether the score comes from a handful of giant shared positions or from a broader mix of common holdings.
Shared Sector Tilt
Sector tags are not consistently available for the biggest shared positions in this dataset, so this comparison leans more on the specific holdings than on sector labels.
Top Shared Holdings
These are the holdings contributing the most to the overlap score between IEFA and VT.
| Holding | Name | IEFA Wt. | VT Wt. | Overlap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASML.AS | ASML HOLDING NV | 2.19% | 0.52% | 0.52% |
| HSBA.L | HSBC HOLDINGS PLC | 1.19% | 0.28% | 0.28% |
| NOVN.SW | NOVARTIS AG | 1.21% | 0.26% | 0.26% |
| ROG.SW | ROCHE HOLDING PAR AG | 1.23% | 0.26% | 0.26% |
| AZN.L | ASTRAZENECA PLC | 1.24% | 0.26% | 0.26% |
| 7203.T | TOYOTA MOTOR CORP | 0.84% | 0.22% | 0.22% |
| NESN.SW | NESTLE LTD | 1.07% | 0.22% | 0.22% |
| SIE.DE | SIEMENS N AG | 0.83% | 0.20% | 0.20% |
| SHEL.L | SHELL PLC | 0.98% | 0.20% | 0.20% |
| SAP.DE | SAP | 0.83% | 0.19% | 0.19% |
Why These ETFs Overlap
IEFA is an equity ETF from IShares, while VT is an equity ETF from Vanguard. The overlap exists because both funds allocate meaningful weight to the same holdings. In this dataset, the biggest shared drivers are ASML.AS, HSBA.L, and NOVN.SW, which appear in both portfolios and push the overlap score higher.
Holding both IEFA and VT can still be reasonable, but you should expect some duplication. The decision comes down to whether the non-overlapping parts of each ETF are important enough for your strategy.
Related Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions About IEFA and VT
What is the overlap between IEFA and VT?+
How many holdings do IEFA and VT share?+
Is the IEFA and VT overlap high?+
Why do IEFA and VT overlap?+
Which ETF is broader, IEFA or VT?+
How Overlap Is Calculated
A straightforward approach used by portfolio analysts.
For every stock that appears in both ETFs, we take the smaller of the two weights. Adding up all those minimums gives the total overlap percentage. A score of 100% means the two ETFs hold the exact same stocks in the same proportions.
Want the full explanation? Read the methodology page.