VUG vs XLK Overlap

VUG is a U.S. growth equity ETF from Vanguard, while XLK is a technology-focused equity ETF from SPDR. VUG and XLK show meaningful overlap, with an estimated weighted overlap of 49.46%. They share 36 holdings in the loaded dataset, led by NVDA, AAPL, and MSFT.

49.5% overlap
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36Shared Holdings
OK
Moderate Overlap

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Quick Answer

VUG is a U.S. growth equity ETF from Vanguard, while XLK is a technology-focused equity ETF from SPDR. VUG and XLK show meaningful overlap, with an estimated weighted overlap of 49.46%. They share 36 holdings in the loaded dataset, led by NVDA, AAPL, and MSFT.

  • 49.46% weighted overlap across 36 shared holdings.
  • The top three shared holdings explain 69.41% of the measured overlap.
  • VUG is the broader fund, while XLK 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

VUG holdings
Mar 12, 2026
XLK holdings
Mar 12, 2026
Overlap computed
Mar 15, 2026
Data source
Financial Modeling Prep

Review the methodology for the overlap formula and refresh policy.

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About These ETFs

ETF A

VUG

Vanguard Growth ETF

Issuer
Vanguard
Asset class
Large Cap Equity
Expense ratio
0.03%
AUM
$350B
Inception
Jan 26, 2004

ETF B

XLK

State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF

Issuer
SPDR
Asset class
Equity
Expense ratio
0.08%
AUM
$88B
Inception
Dec 16, 1998

What Stands Out In This Comparison

01

What This Means

VUG is a U.S. growth equity ETF from Vanguard, while XLK is a technology-focused equity ETF from SPDR. VUG and XLK overlap enough to matter, but they still bring different exposures to a portfolio. The overlap is concentrated in holdings such as NVDA, AAPL, and MSFT, which explains why the score lands at 49.46%.

02

How They Differ

VUG is a U.S. growth equity ETF from Vanguard, while XLK is a technology-focused equity ETF from SPDR. VUG is the broader fund, while XLK is the more targeted sleeve. VUG has the lower expense ratio, while XLK charges more for its exposure.

03

What Drives The Overlap

The overlap is driven by a relatively small set of large shared positions. The top three shared holdings account for 69.41% of the score, which means the result is heavily influenced by the biggest common weights rather than a long tail of tiny positions.

04

When One May Fit Better

If you want the broader portfolio building block, VUG is usually the wider choice. If you want the more focused tilt, XLK is the narrower expression. VUG has the lower expense ratio, while XLK charges more for its exposure.

Overlap Driver Snapshot

Concentration

The top three shared holdings explain 69.41% 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 VUG and XLK.

HoldingVUG Wt.XLK Wt.Overlap
NVDA13.23%15.20%13.23%
AAPL11.50%13.04%11.50%
MSFT9.60%10.21%9.60%
AVGO3.92%5.48%3.92%
AMD1.18%2.92%1.18%
PLTR0.97%3.05%0.97%
LRCX0.91%2.39%0.91%
ORCL0.86%2.22%0.86%
CRM0.59%1.64%0.59%
KLAC0.58%1.69%0.58%

Why These ETFs Overlap

VUG is a U.S. growth equity ETF from Vanguard, while XLK is a technology-focused equity ETF from SPDR. The overlap exists because both funds allocate meaningful weight to the same holdings. In this dataset, the biggest shared drivers are NVDA, AAPL, and MSFT, which appear in both portfolios and push the overlap score higher.

Holding both VUG and XLK 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 VUG and XLK

What is the overlap between VUG and XLK?+
VUG and XLK currently show an estimated weighted overlap of 49.46% based on the loaded holdings data.
How many holdings do VUG and XLK share?+
They share 36 holdings in the current dataset.
Is the VUG and XLK overlap high?+
The current verdict is Moderate Overlap. That means the two ETFs have noticeable duplication in portfolio weight.
Why do VUG and XLK overlap?+
VUG and XLK overlap because the same large positions appear in both funds. In this comparison, the top three shared holdings explain 69.41% of the measured overlap score.
Which ETF is broader, VUG or XLK?+
VUG is the broader fund, while XLK is the more targeted sleeve. That does not automatically make one better, but it helps explain why the pair can overlap while still serving different roles.

How Overlap Is Calculated

A straightforward approach used by portfolio analysts.

Overlap = sum(min(Weight_A, Weight_B)) for each shared holding

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.

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