Amid the rise in popularity of investing in index funds over the past decade or two, one exchange-traded fund (ETF) has stood out. The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) has long been the most popular index fund on the ASX, a title it holds quite comfortably today.
This privilege could come down to a number of factors. Its low cost might be one, the respect and recognition of the Vanguard brand another.
But what has undoubtedly helped VAS retain its popularity is its unique offering.
Almost every simple index fund on the ASX covers the flagship S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). This index, which, along with the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), is widely quoted as a barometer of the entire ASX, covers the largest 200 stocks listed on our markets by market capitalisation.
However, the Vanguard Australian Shares ETF does not track the ASX 200. Instead, VAS tracks the ASX 200's broader sibling, the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO).
As you can probably gather, this index expands on the ASX 200 by adding another 100 stocks at the smaller end of the market. It is still weighted by market capitalisation, blunting the 100 additions significantly. For example, the largest stock on the ASX, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), commanded a weighting of roughly 10.66% in the ASX 200 as of 31 October. In contrast, CBA made up 10.29% of the ASX 300 at the same point in time.
Even so, many investors prefer this broader exposure to the Australian market. If they do have that preference, the only port of call that provided exposure to it was the Vanguard Australian Shares ETF.
Until recently, that is.
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The ASX's VAS ETF finally has a rival index fund
Back in August, ETF provider Global X launched the ASX's second ASX 300 index fund. The Global X Australia 300 ETF (ASX: A300) aims to offer ASX investors exposure to the same set of 300 of the ASX's largest stocks as VAS.
That's everything from Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) to JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH) and Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA).
As such, these two index funds are almost identical. There are a few key differences to note, though. Firstly, A300 is still very new, and as a result, only has around $9 million in assets under management. By contrast, VAS runs over $22.6 billion.
Secondly, A300 doesn't actually track the ASX 300 Index. Instead, it uses the FTSE Australia 300 Index. For all intents and purposes, both indexes offer the same product – the largest 300 ASX stocks weighed by market cap. Even so, it is still a point of difference.
Thirdly, A300 undercuts VAS on price, perhaps thanks to using a different index. VAS charges its investors a fee of 0.07% per annum. That works out to be $7 a year for every $10,000 invested. A300, on the other hand, asks just 0.04% per annum, or $4 for every $10,000 invested.
Competition is never a bad thing. So let's see how much of the ASX 300 market the new index fund can capture from VAS going forward.
