VTI: Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

VTI is the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF, a single ticker that gives you ownership of approximately 4,000 US-listed stocks weighted by market capitalization. It's broader than VOO (which holds only the S&P 500) because VTI also includes mid- and small-cap stocks. Expense ratio of 0.03%, one of the cheapest equity funds in the world.

VTI, listed on NYSE Arca. The official name is Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF, issued by Vanguard. It tracks the CRSP US Total Market Index, which covers approximately 4,000 US-listed stocks across all market caps.

Both are Vanguard ETFs at 0.03% expense ratios. VOO holds only the S&P 500 (~500 large-caps). VTI holds the entire US investable universe (~4,000 stocks including mid and small caps). Top holdings are almost identical because cap weighting dominates; VTI's differentiation is the ~10-15% of the fund in mid and small caps that VOO misses. Long-run returns have been close; VTI has slightly more volatility from the small-cap tail.

Approximately 4,000 US-listed stocks, weighted by market capitalization. Top 10 (Microsoft, Apple, NVIDIA, Amazon, Meta, Alphabet, Broadcom, Berkshire Hathaway, Tesla) account for ~30% of the fund. The remaining ~3,990 holdings make up the other ~70%, with the very smallest constituents at fractions of a basis point each.

0.03% per year (3 basis points). On a $10,000 investment, that's $3/year in fees. Among the lowest expense ratios for any equity ETF, tied with VOO, IVV, and a few other Vanguard and iShares core ETFs.

Approximately 1.3% as of early 2026, paid quarterly. Yield is slightly lower than VOO's because the small-cap tail of VTI is less dividend-rich than the S&P 500 large-cap concentration. Distributions are aggregated from the underlying constituents.

VTI trades like any stock during US market hours. Buy it through any broker: Robinhood, Fidelity, Schwab, Public, M1, Vanguard, or any other. Fractional shares are supported at most modern brokers. VTI is one of the most-recommended core holdings for long-term passive investors because of its breadth and ultra-low cost.

Approximately $450 billion as of early 2026. VTI is the third-largest ETF in the world by AUM, behind VOO (~$1.2T) and SPY (~$600B). Like VOO, VTI's growth has been driven by passive flows and Vanguard's low-cost model.

VTI captures the entire US equity market at near-zero cost, which has been the default core holding recommendation in passive portfolio construction for two decades. Whether it fits your portfolio depends on your time horizon, the rest of your holdings (international exposure, sector tilts), and what you want from US equity. Walnut isn't an investment adviser; this isn't a recommendation.

ITOT (iShares Core S&P Total US Stock Market ETF) tracks the S&P Total Market Index, slightly different methodology than VTI's CRSP US Total Market Index but essentially the same universe. Both charge 0.03%. Returns have been functionally identical. Choice between VTI and ITOT comes down to which provider's ecosystem you prefer, Vanguard for VTI or BlackRock for ITOT.

May 2001. VTI was Vanguard's expansion beyond pure S&P 500 (VOO) into the total US market. The fund has grown to be among the largest ETFs globally as passive flows have favored broad, cheap diversification.

Yes, that's the central differentiation versus VOO. VTI holds approximately 3,500 stocks beyond the S&P 500, including mid-caps (Russell midcap names) and small-caps (Russell 2000 names). Small-cap exposure is approximately 6-8% of VTI; mid-cap is approximately 15-18%. The remaining ~75-79% is large-cap, similar to VOO.

Yes, at brokers that support fractional ETF purchases: Robinhood, Fidelity, Schwab, Public, M1, and several others. Vanguard's brokerage supports fractional purchases for VTI as a Vanguard fund.

Yes, quarterly. Trailing yield is approximately 1.3% annually as of early 2026. Dividends are aggregated from the underlying constituents and paid through to VTI holders. Most brokers offer dividend reinvestment (DRIP) at no extra cost.

VTI holds only US-listed stocks (~4,000 names). VT (Vanguard Total World Stock ETF) holds approximately 9,000 stocks globally, US plus developed international plus emerging markets, weighted by global market cap. VTI gives you US-only exposure; VT gives you global exposure including non-US. Expense ratios: VTI 0.03%, VT 0.07%.