VCRM

Vanguard Core Tax-Exempt Bond ETF

Vanguard · $1.85bn in assets, September 29, 2026

An actively managed ETF: Vanguard's managers hold US dollar municipal bonds from states, local governments and agencies, with interest exempt from federal income tax and the alternative minimum tax.

VCRM, the Vanguard Core Tax-Exempt Bond ETF, is a $1.8 billion ETF whose main story is the income overlay. Over the past year it returned −1.0%, against +16.8% for broad US ETFs. Figures to October 2, 2026; past performance, not a recommendation.

VCRM · the ETFFRI OCT 2Market price total return
+0.9% a yearTotal return since launch, November 2024
−1.0%Last 12 months
−2.6%Year to date
4.0%Volatility since launch

The narrative it carries

This is its only narrative.

The income overlay →

ETFs built to pay income: dividend stocks, municipal bonds, preferred shares and covered calls.

The income overlay · the narrative this week
46.0WARM level, 15 of 22
last four weeks
629ETFs carry it
36.6%held by the top five
VIGlargest holder, 10.5%
$1,095 bncapital, 3rd of 22

The band is where this narrative’s level sits among the 22 this week. QUIET means less talked about, not falling.

Who owns the capital
VIG 10.5%SCHD 9.9%VYM 7.7%MUB 4.3%VTEB 4.2%624 other ETFs 63.4%36.6%top five
#ETFSHAREASSETS1 YEARCOST
1VIG10.5%$114.51bn+10.1%0.04%
2SCHD9.9%$107.89bn+23.9%0.06%
3VYM7.7%$83.99bn+13.8%0.04%
4MUB4.3%$46.62bn−2.0%0.05%
5VTEB4.2%$45.69bn−2.2%0.03%
624 other ETFs63.4%
VCRM: 0.2%

Share is each ETF’s slice of the capital carrying this narrative. 1 year is market price total return; cost is the expense ratio. See all 629 ETFs on the narrative page →

FRI OCT 2MARKET PRICE TOTAL RETURN

1M3MYTD1Y3Y*5Y*
VCRM−3.0%−5.2%−2.6%−1.0%––
The income overlayits narrative−2.7%−0.8%+8.8%+10.8%+14.5%+8.8%
The marketbroad US ETFs+0.8%+2.6%+14.6%+16.8%+22.9%+12.9%

1M, 3M, 1Y, 3Y, 5Y: one month to five years. YTD: year to date. * A year, annualised. A dash means the ETF has not traded for the whole period. Since it started trading on November 21, 2024: +0.9% a year.

$10,000 invested November 30, 2024

VCRM $10,072The income overlay $11,634The market $13,001
$0$10,000$20,000Nov 2024May 2025Nov 2025May 2026$0$10,000$20,000Nov 2024Nov 2025

Year by year

VCRMThe income overlayThe market
-10%0%10%20%VCRM 2025: +4.9%Narrative 2025: +11.2%The market 2025: +16.8%2025VCRM YTD: -2.6%Narrative YTD: +8.8%The market YTD: +14.6%YTD-10%0%10%20%VCRM 2025: +4.9%Narrative 2025: +11.2%The market 2025: +16.8%2025VCRM YTD: -2.6%Narrative YTD: +8.8%The market YTD: +14.6%YTD

Total return in each calendar year; this year is year to date. A year appears only if VCRM traded for all of it.

Total return on the market price, with each distribution reinvested on its ex-date. Not the NAV return the issuer publishes; the two differ when the ETF trades above or below the value of its holdings. The narrative is the asset-weighted return of the unlevered ETFs that carry it. The market is the asset-weighted return of broad US index ETFs. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Common questions

What story is VCRM selling?

VCRM’s main story is the income overlay, which covers ETFs built to pay income: dividend stocks, municipal bonds, preferred shares and covered calls.

Which ETFs compete with VCRM?

The ETFs whose weekly returns move most like VCRM’s over the past 3 years are VTEB (0.98), FMB (0.98) and MUB (0.98).

How has VCRM performed against its story?

Over the past year VCRM returned −1.0%, the ETFs carrying the income overlay +10.8% and broad US ETFs +16.8%, to October 2, 2026. Its weekly returns have a correlation of 0.20 with the story. Past performance only.

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Narrative figures are from the weekly board. Performance is market price total return as of October 2, 2026. Assets are StoryVector’s weekly figure. Classification and measurement. Not investment advice. How the measurement works →