How the Largest US ETFs Performed in 2024

Each month, we check how the largest US stock, bond, and active exchange-traded funds have performed.

The Morningstar US Market Index fell 2.94% during December and is up 24.09% over the past year. The Morningstar US Core Bond Index fell 1.59% last month and is up 1.36% over the past year.

In the global markets, stocks lost 2.59% during December, as measured by the Morningstar Global Markets Index. Bonds fell 2.16%, as measured by the Morningstar Global Core Bond Index. Over the past year, global stocks are up 16.81% and global bonds are down 1.86%.

Largest US Stock ETF Performance

Out of the 10 largest US stock ETFs, the top performer in 2024 was the $281.7 billion Vanguard Growth Index Fund, which gained 32.68%. The bottom performer was the $198.1 billion Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund, which gained 3.07%.

Here’s more about the performance of the largest US stock ETFs.

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Large Blend

In December, the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund fell 3.03%, while the average large blend fund lost 3.41%. The fund placed in the 48th percentile for performance. The $1.8 trillion fund has climbed 23.75% over the past 12 months, outperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 21.26%. The Vanguard fund, which launched in May 2001, has climbed 7.88% over the past three years and 13.80% over the past five.

Vanguard 500 Index Fund

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Large Blend

The $1.4 trillion Vanguard 500 Index Fund fell 2.39% in December. The loss on the fund edged out the 3.41% loss on the average fund in the large blend category, leaving it in the 20th percentile for performance. Over the past 12 months, the Vanguard fund rose 24.98%, while the average fund in its category rose 21.26%. The fund, which launched in September 2010, has climbed 8.90% over the past three years and 14.48% over the past five.

SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Silver
• Morningstar Category: Large Blend

In December, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust fell 2.39%, while the average large blend fund lost 3.41%. The fund placed in the 19th percentile for performance. The $625 billion fund has climbed 24.87% over the past 12 months, outperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 21.26%. The State Street fund, which launched in January 1993, has climbed 8.84% over the past three years and 14.44% over the past five.

iShares Core S&P 500 ETF

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Large Blend

In December, the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF fell 2.39%, while the average large blend fund lost 3.41%. The fund placed in the 20th percentile for performance. The $584.9 billion fund has climbed 24.98% over the past 12 months, outperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 21.26%. The iShares fund, which launched in May 2000, has climbed 8.91% over the past three years and 14.49% over the past five.

Vanguard Total Intl Stock Idx Fund

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Foreign Large Blend

In December, the Vanguard Total Intl Stock Idx Fund fell 2.57%, while the average foreign large blend fund lost 2.66%. The fund placed in the 40th percentile for performance. The $442.8 billion fund has climbed 5.20% over the past 12 months, outperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 4.82%. The Vanguard fund, which launched in January 2011, has climbed 0.71% over the past three years and 4.32% over the past five.

Largest US Bond ETF Performance

Out of the 10 largest US bond ETFs, the top performer last year was the $41.5 billion Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund, which gained 4.95%. The bottom performer was the $50.1 billion iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF, which lost 7.84%.

Here’s more about the performance of the largest US bond ETFs.

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Intermediate Core Bond

In December, the Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund fell 1.65%, while the average intermediate core bond fund lost 1.58%. The fund placed in the 53rd percentile for performance. The $345.7 billion fund has climbed 1.34% over the past 12 months, underperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 1.67%. The Vanguard fund, which launched in April 2007, has dropped 2.38% over the past three years and 0.29% over the past five.

iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Intermediate Core Bond

The iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF lost 1.69% in December, falling further than the average fund in the intermediate core bond category, which fell 1.58%. The $119.8 billion fund has gained 1.37% over the past 12 months, while the average fund in its category is up 1.67%. The iShares fund, which launched in September 2003, has dropped 2.37% over the past three years and 0.34% over the past five.

Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Silver
• Morningstar Category: Global Bond-USD Hedged

In December, the Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund fell 0.61%, while the average global bond-USD hedged fund lost 0.76%. The fund placed in the 33rd percentile for performance. The $100.6 billion fund has climbed 3.71% over the past 12 months, performing roughly in line with the average fund in its category, which rose 3.86%. The Vanguard fund, which launched in May 2013, has dropped 0.55% over the past three years and gained 0.13% over the past five.

Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Silver
• Morningstar Category: Short-Term Bond

The Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund lost 0.11% in December, falling further than the average fund in the short-term bond category, which fell 0.03%. The $58.2 billion fund has gained 3.75% over the past 12 months, while the average fund in its category is up 5.07%. The Vanguard fund, which launched in April 2007, has climbed 0.93% over the past three years and 1.27% over the past five.

Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Short-Term Inflation-Protected Bond

In December, the Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund fell 0.08%, while the average short-term inflation-protected bond fund lost 0.33%. The fund placed in the 12th percentile for performance. The $54.3 billion fund has climbed 4.76% over the past 12 months, outperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 4.29%. The Vanguard fund, which launched in October 2012, has climbed 2.12% over the past three years and 3.32% over the past five.

Largest US Active ETF Performance

While passive ETFs have portfolios whose holdings are designed to track the performance of an index, active ETFs have managers who decide which investments to own. Like index-tracking ETFs, active ETFs trade on an exchange and are typically lower-cost and more tax-efficient than traditional actively managed mutual funds.

Out of the 10 largest US active ETFs, the top performer last year was the $13.6 billion iShares US Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF, which gained 30.12%. The bottom performer was the $16.9 billion Fidelity Total Bond ETF, which gained 2.36%.

Here’s more about the performance of the largest US active ETFs.

JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Bronze
• Morningstar Category: Derivative Income

In December, the JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF fell 4.05%, while the average derivative income fund lost 2.26%. The fund placed in the 72nd percentile for performance and fell further than its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index, by 1.66 percentage points.

The $37 billion fund has climbed 12.56% over the past 12 months, underperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 16.70%. The JPMorgan fund, which launched in May 2020, has gained 6.06% over the past three years.

Dimensional US Core Equity 2 ETF

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Large Blend

In December, the Dimensional US Core Equity 2 ETF fell 4.81%, while the average large blend fund lost 3.41%. The fund placed in the 84th percentile for performance and fell further than its benchmark, the Russell 3000 Index, by 1.75 percentage points.

The $32.3 billion fund has climbed 19.67% over the past 12 months, underperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 21.26%. The Dimensional fund, which launched in October 2007, has climbed 7.44% over the past three years and 12.88% over the past five.

JPMorgan Ultra-Short Income ETF

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Silver
• Morningstar Category: Ultrashort Bond

The $28.1 billion JPMorgan Ultra-Short Income ETF rose 0.37% in December. The gain on the fund was roughly in line with the 0.38% gain on the average fund in the ultrashort bond category, leaving it in the 70th percentile for performance. The fund lagged its benchmark, the ICE BofA 0-3 Month US Treasury Bill Index, by 0.03 percentage points.

Over the past 12 months, the JPMorgan fund rose 5.61%, while the average fund in its category rose 5.79%. The fund, which launched in May 2017, has climbed 3.92% over the past three years and 2.81% over the past five.

JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Neutral
• Morningstar Category: Derivative Income

The $20.8 billion JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF rose 0.42% in December. The gain on the fund beat the 2.26% loss on the average fund in the derivative income category, leaving it in the 20th percentile for performance. The fund beat its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index, by 2.80 percentage points.

Over the past 12 months, the JPMorgan fund rose 24.81%, while the average fund in its category rose 16.70%. The fund launched in May 2022.

Fidelity Total Bond ETF

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Intermediate Core-Plus Bond

The $16.9 billion Fidelity Total Bond ETF fell 1.66% in December. The loss on the fund was roughly in line with the 1.59% loss on the average fund in the intermediate core-plus bond category, leaving it in the 64th percentile for performance. The fund performed roughly in line with its benchmark, the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index.

Over the past 12 months, the Fidelity fund rose 2.36%, while the average fund in its category rose 2.33%. The fund, which launched in October 2014, has dropped 1.54% over the past three years and gained 0.82% over the past five.