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GLD ETF: The Easiest Way to Invest in Gold Without Holding Physical Bullion

  1. GLD: The Easiest Way to Invest in Gold When the stock market becomes volatile and currency exchange rates fluctuate, many investors start looking for safer assets. One of the most traditional safe-haven assets is gold. Historically, gold has held its value during economic crises and financial instability, making it a popular choice for defensive investing. However, buying physical gold can be inconvenient due to storage costs, security risks, and low liquidity. Expense Ratio (%) Inception Date Asset Manager 0.40 2004/11/18 SSGA That's where GLD (SPDR Gold Shares) comes in. GLD is a U.S.-listed ETF designed to closely track the price of gold, allowing investors to gain exposure to gold without holding physical bullion. With GLD, you can invest in gold just like buying a regular stock in the market, making gold investment simple and accessible. *This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate ...
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VXUS Explained: The Easiest Way to Invest in Global Stocks Outside the U.S.

 

VXUS ETF IMAGE

Investing in international stocks often feels complicated, but in reality, you can gain broad global exposure with just a few well-designed ETFs. One of the most popular options is VXUS (Vanguard Total International Stock ETF). As its name suggests, VXUS allows you to invest in the entire global stock market excluding the United States, making it an excellent complement to a U.S.-focused portfolio.

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In this post, you’ll learn what VXUS is, how it’s structured, its benefits, and what to consider before investing—explained in a beginner-friendly way.

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1. What Is VXUS?

VXUS is a global equity ETF created by Vanguard, one of the largest and most trusted asset managers in the world. The ETF includes both developed markets and emerging markets, covering virtually all major countries outside the U.S.

That means VXUS holds stocks from countries like Republic of Korea, Japan, the U.K., Germany, France, and Canada, as well as emerging markets such as China, India, Taiwan, Brazil, and Indonesia.

VXUS tracks the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index, a broad market index that covers large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap companies. Because the index is so wide and diversified, investors can gain exposure to thousands of global companies with just a single ETF—no need to pick individual stocks or worry about regional biases.

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Visit Vanguard ETF Official Website for VXUS


*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


2. Understanding VXUS’s Structure and Allocation

To understand VXUS more easily, imagine the global stock market as:
  • Global Market = U.S. Market + Non-U.S. Market
  • The U.S. typically accounts for about 60% of global market capitalization—meaning VXUS represents the remaining 40% of the global market.
  • VXUS is heavily weighted toward developed markets such as Republic of Korea, Japan, the U.K., Canada, Germany, and France. Below that are emerging markets including China, India, and Taiwan.
Sector exposure is also well-balanced across technology, financials, industrials, consumer goods, and more. Because VXUS holds more than 7,000 stocks, the risk of depending on any single company or sector is extremely low. This broad diversification is why VXUS is often considered one of the most stable building blocks for a long-term global portfolio.

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3. Key Benefits of VXUS: Diversification, Lower Risk, and Better Portfolio Balance

The biggest advantage of VXUS is extreme diversification. If your portfolio is heavily weighted toward U.S. stocks (like VOO, SPY, or VTI), you might be unintentionally relying too much on one country. VXUS helps rebalance that exposure.


When the U.S. market struggles, other regions—such as Europe or Asia—may hold up better. This lowers your overall portfolio volatility over time because different regions do not always move in the same direction.

VXUS is also a great fit for long-term investors since its broad global exposure leads to steady, gradual growth rather than sharp short-term swings. The popular “global portfolio” combination—VTI (U.S.) + VXUS (international)—gives you exposure to nearly the entire world stock market. A mix like VTI 60% + VXUS 40% closely mirrors global market weighting and is widely used by passive investors.


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4. Things to Consider & Who Should Invest in VXUS

VXUS isn’t perfect, and there are a few points to keep in mind:
  • VXUS may underperform U.S.-only ETFs during times when U.S. tech giants dominate the market.
  • Some exposure to emerging markets means slightly higher volatility in the short term.
  • Performance can lag when global markets outside the U.S. grow slowly.
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However, these factors are generally mitigated by the ETF’s broad diversification and long-term focus.

VXUS is ideal for:
  • Long-term investors
  • Those who want to reduce U.S. concentration
  • Anyone aiming for balanced global exposure
  • Beginners who want an easy, all-in-one international ETF
Because VXUS automatically invests in thousands of companies across dozens of countries, it’s one of the simplest ways to build a globally diversified portfolio without picking individual stocks.


*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

*The information in this article is provided for informational purposes only. All investment decisions and results are solely the responsibility of the investor.
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