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VGIT vs QQQ: which was the better investment?

Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF against Invesco QQQ Trust on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Nov 23, 2009 to Jul 15, 2026.

VGITthe Nasdaq-100 (QQQ)
17 years of daily dataDividends reinvestedUpdated daily

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VGITVanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF
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Frequently asked questions

Did VGIT beat QQQ?

No — measured from Nov 23, 2009 to Jul 15, 2026 with dividends reinvested, QQQ came out ahead: $188,911 versus $14,288 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 19.3% annual return against 2.2%.

What would $10,000 in VGIT be worth today?

$10,000 invested in Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT) on Nov 23, 2009 would be worth about $14,288 as of Jul 15, 2026, a total return of 42.9% (2.2% per year). The same $10,000 in QQQ would be worth $188,911.

Which was riskier — VGIT or QQQ?

VGIT swung with an annualized volatility of 4.4% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -16.1%; QQQ ran at 20.6% volatility with a -35.1% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.04 for VGIT vs 0.84 for QQQ.

What data is this comparison based on?

Daily adjusted closing prices covering Nov 23, 2009 through Jul 15, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.

Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?

Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with VGIT vs QQQ. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.