What if you'd held VSS?
A $1,000 investment in Vanguard FTSE All-Wld ex-US SmCp Idx ETF (VSS) at the month-end close of 2009-04 would be worth $4,530 at the close of 2026-08 — +353.0% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $8,831.
Your scenario
Result
If you'd bought $1,000 at the start of each year
Value of $1,000 invested on January 1 of each year, held to 2026-08, dividends included.
Every year, $1,000 from 2009
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | $1,000 | — |
| 2010 | $1,256 | +25.6% |
| 2011 | $1,010 | -19.6% |
| 2012 | $1,219 | +20.8% |
| 2013 | $1,421 | +16.6% |
| 2014 | $1,349 | -5.1% |
| 2015 | $1,349 | 0.0% |
| 2016 | $1,407 | +4.2% |
| 2017 | $1,837 | +30.6% |
| 2018 | $1,498 | -18.5% |
| 2019 | $1,818 | +21.4% |
| 2020 | $2,032 | +11.8% |
| 2021 | $2,297 | +13.0% |
| 2022 | $1,804 | -21.5% |
| 2023 | $2,084 | +15.6% |
| 2024 | $2,146 | +2.9% |
| 2025 | $2,781 | +29.6% |
| 2026 | $3,105 | +11.7% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought VSS was 2009-04 ($35.14): $1,000 then is $4,530 today. The worst was 2026-05 ($160): $1,000 then is $994.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in VSS be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Vanguard FTSE All-Wld ex-US SmCp Idx ETF (VSS) at the start of 2009 would be worth about $4,530 today, a total return of +353.0%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for VSS?
Vanguard FTSE All-Wld ex-US SmCp Idx ETF (VSS)'s strongest calendar year since 2009 was 2017, a +30.6% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $1,306 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2022, at -21.5%.
Does the calculator include dividends and splits?
Yes where available. Prices are adjusted for both stock splits and reinvested dividends (total return), the same measure brokerages use.
How much would $100 per month in VSS have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 2009-04 would have grown to about $42,652 on $20,900 invested.
Did VSS beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $8,831. VSS trailed the S&P 500 by +48.7% in total return.
Is this investment advice?
No. Wall Street Regrets is an entertainment and education tool. Every number is a historical calculation, not a prediction, and past performance never guarantees future results.
Methodology
Vanguard FTSE All-Wld ex-US SmCp Idx ETF (VSS) historical total-return data from 2009-04 to 2026-08, reduced to month-end closes for the tables above.
Returns use adjusted close prices from Yahoo Finance historical data — adjusted for stock splits and reinvested dividends — the same convention used by major brokerages. A "year" scenario invests $1,000 at the prior December's month-end close and values it at the latest available month-end close. Non-USD amounts are converted at historical month-end exchange rates (Yahoo Finance): to USD on the buy date and back to your currency at the latest rate, so the return reflects the currency move as well as the asset.
Month-end resolution means intra-month extremes are not captured in tables; the calculator uses exact trading-day closes where daily data is available. Figures ignore taxes, fees, and the currency effects of non-USD listings. History is not a forecast. Wall Street Regrets is entertainment, not investment advice.
What if you'd held…
Data: adjusted close prices via Yahoo Finance. As of 2026-08. Not financial advice.