Key Highlights

  • Vanguard FTSE Asia ex Japan Shares index ETF (ASX:VAE) held a fund size of $771.72 million across 1,783 underlying companies, having listed on the ASX on 11 December 2015.
  • Technology is the largest sector at 42.99 per cent, slightly below the category average of 46.95 per cent.
  • Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing is the top holding at 15.22 per cent, ahead of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.
  • The fund's final distribution of $0.529 per unit was lower than the $0.680 per unit paid in the October 2025 period.

Vanguard FTSE Asia ex Japan Shares Index ETF (ASX:VAE) is an ASX-listed fund that provides broad-based exposure to companies across Asia ex-Japan markets, aiming to hold or be exposed to most of the securities comprising the FTSE Asia Pacific ex Japan, Australia and New Zealand NR AUD index. The fund was admitted to the ASX on 11 December 2015 and sits within the Equity Asia Pacific w/o Japan Morningstar category, with a fund size of $771.72 million, 6,965,008 units on issue and a management fee of 0.40 per cent.

Sector Composition

VAE's sector allocation closely tracks its broader category. Technology represents 42.99 per cent of the fund, slightly below the category average of 46.95 per cent, while financial services accounts for 17.72 per cent, above the category's 13.96 per cent. Consumer cyclical makes up 9.41 per cent, below the category average of 13.10 per cent, and industrials 7.84 per cent, close to the category's 7.70 per cent. Communication services contributes 6.28 per cent, basic materials 3.72 per cent, healthcare 3.26 per cent, energy 2.52 per cent, consumer defensive 2.50 per cent and utilities 1.93 per cent.

By market capitalisation, companies above $1 billion make up 99.50 per cent of the fund, above the category average of 97.02 per cent, while the $500 million to $1 billion range accounts for 0.46 per cent and holdings under $500 million represent 0.03 per cent. The asset mix includes 99.69 per cent in equities, 0.29 per cent in cash and 0.01 per cent in other assets.

Top Holdings

VAE holds 1,783 companies, a considerably larger number than many of its regional peers, with its top 10 positions accounting for a comparatively modest 38.31 per cent of the fund and a Turnover ratio of 2.07 per cent. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing is the largest holding at 15.22 per cent, followed by Samsung Electronics at 7.09 per cent and SK hynix at 5.57 per cent. Tencent Holdings holds a 3.15 per cent weighting, Alibaba Group 2.27 per cent, MediaTek 1.35 per cent, DBS Group Holdings 0.97 per cent, a further Samsung Electronics listing 0.89 per cent, AIA Group 0.88 per cent and China Construction Bank 0.87 per cent.

Geographic Exposure

Taiwan represents the largest country exposure at 27.76 per cent, above the category average of 24.27 per cent. China contributes 24.55 per cent, below the category's 30.30 per cent, while South Korea makes up 21.31 per cent and India 14.44 per cent, well above the category average of 5.96 per cent. Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the United States make up the remaining exposure.

Distribution and Risk Metrics

VAE reported a Beta of 0.94 and a Standard Deviation of 20.13. The fund's most recent final distribution was $0.529 per unit, with an ex-date of 1 July 2026, producing an annual Yield of 1.39 per cent. This was lower than the $0.680 per unit distributed in October 2025, though above the $0.237 per unit paid in January 2026. The fund's ISIN is AU000000VAE1.

Conclusion

Vanguard FTSE Asia ex Japan Shares Index ETF (ASX:VAE) provides broad, diversified exposure to companies across the Asia ex-Japan region through a holding of 1,783 underlying securities, one of the largest holding counts among the funds reviewed. Its sector and country weightings track closely with its Morningstar category, and its most recent quarterly distribution declined from the payment made in October 2025.