Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund
BNDX BondUpdated: Jul 5, 2026, 21:17 UTC
Key Metrics
Sector Allocation
About This ETF
The Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund (BNDX) is a Bond ETF with an expense ratio (TER) of 0.07% and $122B in assets under management. The ETF currently yields 4.46% in dividends. Year-to-date, BNDX has returned +0.99%. With an expense ratio of just 0.07%, it is one of the cheapest ETFs in its category.
The fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index (USD Hedged). This index provides a broad-based measure of the global, investment-grade, fixed-rate bond markets. It is non-diversified.
FAQ — BNDX
What is the TER of BNDX (Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund)?
BNDX has a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.07 % per year. That sits below the bond category median (0.15 % across 8 peer ETFs). The TER is deducted directly from the fund and lowers your effective return.
What return has BNDX delivered?
Performance for BNDX: YTD: +0.99 % · 3-year p.a.: +4.31 % · 5-year p.a.: +0.37 %. Over 5 years, BNDX outperforms the bond category median of +0.03 % by +0.34 pp. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns.
Does BNDX pay dividends?
BNDX has a current dividend yield of 4.46 %. Distributing ETFs pay this out in cash; accumulating versions reinvest it inside the fund. Check the share class on your broker before buying.
Where can I buy or set up a savings plan for BNDX?
BNDX is available at most major brokers. For a free monthly savings plan from €1, look at Trade Republic, Scalable Capital or Flatex. The broker comparison on this site shows fees, free-savings-plan ETFs and execution exchanges side by side.
What Is the Vanguard Total International Bond ETF (BNDX)?
The Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund (BNDX) offers broad exposure to investment-grade bonds issued outside the United States. It tracks the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index (USD Hedged), bundling government and corporate debt from many countries. With an ultra-low expense ratio of just 0.07% and roughly $118.0B in assets, it ranks among the largest global bond ETFs, making it a core option for investors who want to diversify the fixed-income portion of their portfolio internationally.
Performance in a Bond Context
For a fixed-income fund like BNDX, returns are driven mainly by coupon income and interest-rate moves rather than equity-style price swings. The distribution yield sits around 4.47%, reflecting current coupons across the global investment-grade market. Over three years the fund returned roughly 4.4% annually, while its five-year figure of about 0.41% per year captures the recent era of rising rates. Year to date it is up around 0.8%. Its price has ranged between a 52-week low of $47.53 and a high of $49.93, underscoring the relatively contained volatility typical of high-quality bonds.
Risk Profile
The central risk is interest-rate sensitivity (duration): when yields rise, bond prices fall, and vice versa. Because BNDX holds global investment-grade debt, default (credit) risk is moderate but not zero. Important for euro-area investors:
- The index is hedged to the U.S. dollar, not the euro — a USD-versus-EUR currency risk remains for European holders.
- Hedging the underlying foreign currencies back to USD carries hedging costs that can reduce returns depending on rate differentials.
- During sharp rate-hike cycles, even high-quality bonds can suffer price declines.
Overall, volatility is considerably lower than for equities.
Who Is BNDX For?
BNDX suits investors who want to diversify beyond stocks and add a stabilizing, income-oriented building block. It is especially relevant for:
- defensive to balanced investors with a medium-to-long horizon,
- those who value regular distributions and lower volatility than equities,
- portfolios looking to add global bonds outside the United States.
It is less suitable for investors seeking high growth, for very short horizons exposed to interest-rate risk, or for those who strictly want to avoid any currency risk against the USD. This is not investment advice.
How It Compares to Peers
Among bond ETFs, BNDX competes with several well-known products:
- Vanguard Total Bond Market (BND) — covers the U.S. bond market; BNDX is the international complement to it.
- iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond (AGG) — like BND, focused on U.S. bonds without an international component.
- Short-duration bond ETFs — less sensitive to rate changes but typically offer lower yields.
BNDX's edge lies in global diversification outside the U.S. at a very low cost of 0.07%, with USD hedging applied to the foreign currencies it holds.
Where can I buy BNDX?
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