What Is VUG? Vanguard Growth ETF
Short answer
VUG is the Vanguard Growth ETF, a fund that tracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index at a 0.04% expense ratio. It holds the large-cap US companies classified as growth (MSFT, AAPL, NVDA, AMZN), so it tilts heavily toward technology and consumer growth names rather than the whole market. Versus VOO, VUG drops the value half of the S&P 500, which makes it more concentrated in mega-cap tech and more volatile.
What does VUG hold? (top 10)
Approximate weights as of early 2026; refresh quarterly from the issuer's fund page. Tickers link to the individual stock guide in Walnut.
Themes VUG is commonly used to express
ETFs are passive bundles; thematic baskets in Walnut let you concentrate within them. If you hold VUG as a core position, these are the themes you might layer on as satellites.
The bottom line on VUG
VUG is a low-cost large-cap growth tilt, not a diversified core like VOO. It suits investors who want a growth lean in one ticker, with the caveat that it overlaps heavily with the top of VOO and QQQ and carries more concentration in mega-cap technology. It tends to function as a style tilt layered on a broad core.
Build a portfolio around VUG with Walnut
Use VUG as your core holding, then let Walnut's AI propose thematic satellites: AI infrastructure, dividend growth, clean energy, whatever you believe in. Connect your broker, build the basket in conversation, track it as one unit.
FAQ
What is VUG?
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VUG is the Vanguard Growth ETF, a single ticker that holds the large-cap US companies classified as growth. It tracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index and tilts heavily toward technology and consumer growth names, so it behaves like a growth-style version of a large-cap fund rather than a broad-market core.
What is VUG's expense ratio?
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0.04% per year (4 basis points) as of early 2026. On a $10,000 investment, that is about $4 per year in fees. It is one of the cheapest growth ETFs available. Verify the current figure on the Vanguard site.
VUG vs VOO: what's the difference?
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VOO holds the entire S&P 500, both growth and value. VUG holds only the large-cap growth half, so it is more concentrated in mega-cap technology and carries higher volatility. The two overlap heavily at the top because the largest companies are growth-classified. Walnut is not an investment adviser, so this is not a recommendation.
VUG vs QQQ: which is more tech-heavy?
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Both lean toward large-cap technology and growth. QQQ tracks the Nasdaq-100 and excludes financials, while VUG tracks the CRSP large-cap growth universe. VUG is cheaper (0.04% vs 0.20%). Their top holdings overlap substantially, though the exact composition and weights differ.
Does VUG pay a dividend?
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Yes, quarterly, but the yield is low, approximately 0.5% as of early 2026. Growth companies tend to reinvest cash flow rather than pay large dividends, so VUG's yield is well below a broad-market fund like VOO.
What companies are in VUG?
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Large-cap US growth names, led by Microsoft, Apple, NVIDIA, Amazon, Meta, both share classes of Alphabet, Broadcom, Tesla, and Eli Lilly. The fund is top-heavy in mega-cap technology. Weights are approximate, verify on the issuer's site.
What is VUG's AUM?
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Approximately $170 billion as of early 2026, which makes it one of the largest style-specific ETFs. The exact figure moves with markets and flows, so verify on the Vanguard site.
When was VUG created?
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January 2004. VUG is Vanguard's large-cap growth style ETF, paired with VTV on the value side. It has grown alongside the long run of outperformance by large-cap growth and technology.
How do I buy VUG?
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VUG trades like any stock during US market hours. Buy it through any broker: Robinhood, Fidelity, Schwab, Public, M1, Vanguard, or others. Fractional shares are supported at most modern brokers. Connect your broker to Walnut and the AI can show how VUG overlaps with what you already own.
Is VUG a good investment?
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VUG gives a low-cost large-cap growth tilt, but it overlaps heavily with the top of VOO and QQQ and concentrates in mega-cap technology. Whether it fits your portfolio depends on your time horizon and what else you hold. Walnut is not an investment adviser, so this is not a recommendation.
Related ETFs
Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Holdings weights and fund statistics on this page are approximations stamped to early 2026; verify current figures against Vanguard's fund page or your broker before investing.