VUAA and VUAG are the same fund: Vanguard's S&P 500 ETF in its accumulating share class, listed in US dollars (VUAA) and in pounds (VUAG). CSPX is a different fund, iShares Core S&P 500, that tracks the same index; in pounds its share class trades as CSP1. VUSA is Vanguard's distributing share class of the same fund as VUAA and VUAG, so it pays its dividends out.
On this page
1. The five tickers side by side
| Ticker | Trades in | Exchange | ISIN | Dividends | Fee a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSPX | USD | London Stock Exchange | IE00B5BMR087 | Reinvested | 0.07% |
| CSP1 | GBP | London Stock Exchange | IE00B5BMR087 | Reinvested | 0.07% |
| VUAA | USD | London Stock Exchange | IE00BFMXXD54 | Reinvested | 0.07% |
| VUAG | GBP | London Stock Exchange | IE00BFMXXD54 | Reinvested | 0.07% |
| VUSA | GBP | London Stock Exchange | IE00B3XXRP09 | Paid out (quarterly) | 0.07% |
CSPX, CSP1 share one ISIN, IE00B5BMR087: one share class, listed more than once.
VUAA, VUAG share one ISIN, IE00BFMXXD54: one share class, listed more than once.
2. VUAA and VUAG: one fund, two currencies
VUAA and VUAG carry the same ISIN, so they are one share class listed twice on the London Stock Exchange: VUAA in US dollars, VUAG in pounds. Same holdings, same fee. The gap between their prices is almost entirely the pound moving against the dollar.
3. CSPX and CSP1: same index, different provider
CSPX is the accumulating share class of iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF, in US dollars on the London Stock Exchange; CSP1 is the same share class in pounds. It is not the same fund as VUAA, but both aim to return what the S&P 500 returns. They charge the same fee, so what separates them is small, such as how closely each has tracked the index over the years.
4. VUSA: the one that pays out
VUSA holds the same portfolio as VUAA and VUAG, in Vanguard's distributing share class. It pays out the dividends the fund collects instead of reinvesting them, and trades in pounds on the London Stock Exchange. How dividends are taxed, paid out or reinvested, depends on where you live and the account the fund sits in. This guide doesn't cover tax.
5. How to pick
- Match your account's currency. Buying a listing in another currency usually means your broker converts your cash first, and charges for it; the fund's own currency exposure is the same either way. Pounds point to VUAG, VUSA or CSP1; dollars to VUAA or CSPX.
- Decide on dividends. Paid out: VUSA. Reinvested: VUAG, VUAA, CSPX or CSP1.
- Between Vanguard and iShares in the same currency, compare the fee in the table and how closely each has tracked the index. Past that, it's the same index.