Vanguard S&P 500 ETF VOO surpasses $1 trillion AUM

A Vanguard exchange-traded fund tracking the S&P 500 index has become the first ETF in history to surpass $1 trillion in assets under management. The fund, known by its ticker VOO, crossed the milestone on June 2, 2026, propelled by a substantial inflow of investor capital.

The achievement underscores the dominant shift toward passive investing strategies over the past decade. VOO’s growth has been fueled by both the rising value of the S&P 500 index itself and consistent new investments from individuals and institutions. Through the first five months of 2026, VOO attracted more than $69 billion in inflows, leading all ETFs by a wide margin. When combined with its mutual fund counterpart, Vanguard’s overall S&P 500 strategy now exceeds $1.7 trillion in total assets.

Analysts attribute VOO’s ascent primarily to its low cost. The fund charges an annual expense ratio of 0.03%, a third of the 0.09% fee charged by the long-standing SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). VOO overtook SPY as the largest ETF in the world in February 2025. Both funds track the same benchmark index, making the fee difference a critical factor for investors, especially over long time horizons.