VXUS observed max drawdown: 27.8%
Vanguard Total International Stock ETF. From its 2021-05-31 peak, VXUS fell 27.8% to the 2022-09-30 trough and needed 3.0 years to make a new high (2024-05-31). Computed from 188 months of observed fund history. Fund inception boundary (first available fund observation): 2011-01-28; the monthly analysis runs from 2011-01-31 through 2026-08-31.
Before 2011-01-28, the extended history is simulated. Observed fund drawdowns come first; simulation assumptions and results are separated below.
What is VXUS's observed maximum drawdown?
VXUS's observed maximum drawdown was 27.8%, from a peak in 2021-05-31 to a trough in 2022-09-30, based on monthly closes from fund prices first observed on 2011-01-28. The sample contains 188 monthly observations through 2026-08-31. Monthly closes can miss deeper daily losses.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum drawdown | -27.8% |
| Peak | 2021-05-31 |
| Trough | 2022-09-30 |
| Recovered | 2024-05-31 |
| Monthly observations | 188 |
Last verified
What is VXUS's observed maximum drawdown?
VXUS's observed maximum drawdown was 27.8%, from a peak in 2021-05-31 to a trough in 2022-09-30, based on monthly closes from fund prices first observed on 2011-01-28.
How long did VXUS take to recover from its worst drawdown?
VXUS took 3.0 years from the 2021-05-31 peak to make a new high in 2024-05-31, based only on observed fund prices.
What was VXUS's worst 12-month return?
VXUS's worst observed rolling 12-month return was -25.2%, in the 12 months ending 2022-09-30.
VXUS observed fund drawdown statistics
2021-05-31 peak to 2022-09-30 trough.
New high reached 2024-05-31.
Share of all months spent below a prior high.
Rolling year ending 2022-09-30.
The biggest VXUS drawdowns in observed fund history
| Depth | Peak | Trough | Recovered | Peak to trough | Total underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -27.8% | 2021-05-31 | 2022-09-30 | 2024-05-31 | 16 mo | 3.0 years |
| -25.5% | 2018-01-31 | 2020-03-31 | 2020-11-30 | 26 mo | 2.8 years |
| -24.7% | 2011-04-30 | 2011-09-30 | 2013-09-30 | 5 mo | 2.4 years |
| -20.3% | 2014-06-30 | 2016-02-29 | 2017-04-30 | 20 mo | 2.8 years |
| -7.9% | 2026-02-28 | 2026-03-31 | 2026-05-31 | 1 mo | 3 months |
Methodology: observed VXUS fund prices only, first available from 2011-01-28. Monthly closing-price statistics cover 2011-01-31 through 2026-08-31; no proxy or pre-inception simulation is included in this table. Educational information, not investment advice.
Before 2011-01-28: simulated from the underlying index with assumptions
This separate series combines observed prices with a modeled pre-inception extension from 1970-01-31 through 2026-09-30. The 2026-09-30 endpoint is the legacy current partial-month bucket/month-end label, not evidence that VXUS was observed through that future date. It is not observed VXUS performance. The API's observed boundary is 2011-01-28; observed monthly statistics run from 2011-01-31 through 2026-08-31.
- Rebalancing convention: monthly rebalance at month-end close; drawdown statistics use monthly closing prices.
- Proxy source for VXUS: VGTSX (proxy_etf), from 1996-04-29 to 2011-01-27.
- Proxy source for VXUS: PRTIX (proxy_etf), from 1989-09-28 to 1996-04-26.
- Proxy source for VXUS: world_ex_us (static_monthly), from 1924-12-31 to 1989-09-27.
- Proxy source for SPY: VFINX (proxy_etf), from 1976-08-31 to 1993-01-28.
- Proxy source for SPY: spy_tr (static_monthly), from 1900-01-31 to 1976-08-30.
Modeled extended statistics
2007-10-31 peak to 2009-02-28 trough.
New high reached 2017-05-31.
Share of all months spent below a prior high.
Rolling year ending 2009-02-28.
For context, SPY (the S&P 500 baseline) had a maximum drawdown of 50.8% over the same kind of monthly-close analysis.
Modeled extended drawdowns
| Depth | Peak | Trough | Recovered | Peak to trough | Total underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -58.5% | 2007-10-31 | 2009-02-28 | 2017-05-31 | 16 mo | 9.6 years |
| -47.3% | 1999-12-31 | 2003-03-31 | 2005-08-31 | 39 mo | 5.7 years |
| -41.5% | 1973-03-31 | 1974-09-30 | 1977-12-31 | 18 mo | 4.8 years |
| -27.8% | 2021-05-31 | 2022-09-30 | 2024-05-31 | 16 mo | 3.0 years |
| -25.5% | 2018-01-31 | 2020-03-31 | 2020-11-30 | 26 mo | 2.8 years |
Monthly closing prices, peak-to-trough on total return where available. The pre-inception segment is a reconstruction, not a live fund record, and actual tracking, financing, taxes, spreads, and volatility drag can differ.
Drawdowns are the reason tactical strategies exist
Buy-and-hold VXUS means living through every number on this page. BestFolio tracks published TAA strategies whose whole job is cutting these drawdowns, with out-of-sample track records.