US-listed · NYSE Arca · FIF-eligible (above NZ$50K)
VanguardVYMVanguard High Dividend Yield ETF
Maximum diversification for dividend investors at rock-bottom fees — ~500 above-average-yield US stocks, market-cap weighted, with no quality screen.
Updated Reviewed quarterly
About this fund
What is VYM?
VYM is the US-listed ticker for Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF, issued by Vanguard. 500+ above-average-yield US dividend stocks. TER is 0.04% per year, with a trailing 12-month distribution yield of approximately 2.2%. Distributions are paid quarterly.
Next typical distribution: December.VYM typically pays in Mar · Jun · Sep · Dec. Most recent verified distribution: US$0.9795 per unit, ex-date 2026-06-18. Issuer sets the exact date — verify on the distribution calendar before relying on a payment date.
Platform availability
Where to buy VYM from New Zealand
Based on each platform's advertised market coverage and fee schedule. Verify with the platform before transacting — instrument coverage can change.
| Platform | Per-trade fee | FX | Min | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 SharesiesSharesies | 1.9% per trade | 0.5% | NZ$0 | Beginners, fractional shares, mixing NZ + US ETFs |
 HatchHatch | US$3 per trade (≤300 shares) | 0.5% | NZ$0 (US$1 to invest) | NZ investors who want US-only ETFs (SPY, VOO, QQQ, SCHD, JEPI) |
 StakeStake | US$0 trades | 0.70% | NZ$0 | Frequent US-share traders who hate per-trade fees |
 Interactive BrokersInteractive Brokers | From US$0.35 / trade (Tiered) or US$1 flat (Fixed) | ~0.002% (US$2 min) | US$0 | Larger portfolios, frequent traders, multi-market investors |
 Tiger BrokersTiger Brokers | US$2 flat per US trade (to 200 shares) | 0.50% | NZ$0 | NZ investors who want NZ + US + Asian markets in one account |
 Invest DirectInvest Direct | From NZ$29.90 per trade | Undisclosed margin on conversion | NZ$0 | US trading must be switched on by request, and covers a curated list of US securities — check this ticker is on it. |
 ASB SecuritiesASB Securities | NZ$30 per NZX trade | Bank rates (~1%) | NZ$0 (ASB customer) | Existing ASB customers wanting one login for banking + brokerage |
Showing 7 platforms that list this ETF. Full platform comparison: all 11 NZ brokers → · Full coverage matrix: availability matrix →
NZ tax treatment
How is VYM taxed for NZ investors?
VYM is US-domiciled. NZ investors apply Foreign Investment Fund rules once total overseas-share cost basis crosses the de-minimis threshold. Below it, only dividends are taxable.
The FIF de-minimis threshold is NZ$50,000(source) of overseas-share cost basis. Below it, FIF rules do not apply and only dividends are taxable.
Most NZ retail investors use Fair Dividend Rate (FDR): deemed income = 5% × opening market value × your marginal rate. Comparative Value (CV) can be lower in flat or down years.
US dividends carry 15%(source) withholding under the NZ–US tax treaty (file W-8BEN; default rate without it is 30%(source)). The withheld amount can be claimed as a foreign tax credit on your IR3.
FDR vs CV method → · PIE vs FIF comparison →
🧮 Model your own after-tax outcome
Mechanical NZ-tax calculator comparing PIE @ PIR vs FIF @ FDR vs FIF @ CV on your principal, assumed return, time horizon, PIR, and marginal rate. → Open the after-tax calculator
General information only — not personalised tax advice. Confirm your treatment with a registered NZ tax adviser before transacting.
Add up to 4 more tickers to compare TER · yield · distribution · NZ tax structure.
Similar ETFs
ETFs with similar focus to VYM
Same asset class, issuer cousins, and exchange peers — ranked by closest match. Click any row to compare side-by-side in the multi-compare tool.
| Ticker | Name | TER | Yield | Distribution | NZ tax | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIV | NZ Dividend (DIV) Smartshares · NZX | 0.54% | 5.2% | Semi-annual | PIE | VYM vs DIV |
| ASD | Aus Dividend (ASD) Smartshares · NZX | 0.54% | 3.3% | Semi-annual | PIE | VYM vs ASD |
| SCHD | SCHD Schwab · NYSE Arca | 0.06% | — | Quarterly | FIF | VYM vs SCHD |
| VOO | VOO Vanguard · NYSE Arca | 0.03% | 1.0% | Quarterly | FIF | VYM vs VOO |
| VTI | VTI Vanguard · NYSE Arca | 0.03% | 1.0% | Quarterly | FIF | VYM vs VTI |
Distribution history
Recent distributions — VYM
| Ex-date | Pay date | Per unit (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | 2026-06-23 | US$0.9795 |
| 2026-03-20 | 2026-03-24 | US$0.8617 |
| 2025-12-19 | 2025-12-23 | US$0.9474 |
| 2025-09-19 | 2025-09-23 | US$0.8417 |
| 2025-06-20 | 2025-06-24 | US$0.8617 |
| 2025-03-21 | 2025-03-25 | US$0.8500 |
Dates are the issuer-published record/reinvest dates; under US T+1 settlement these coincide with the ex-date.
Source: Vanguard distribution records, verified 2026-07-05. Amounts are cash distributions per unit before tax — verify against the issuer source before relying on a payment. VYM typically distributes mar · jun · sep · dec; next typical month: December.
See /calendar/distributions/ for the rolling 12-month forward calendar across all covered ETFs.
What is VYM ETF?
VYM tracks the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index, which includes US stocks with above-average dividend yields while excluding REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts).
Unlike SCHD's quality-focused approach, VYM simply selects stocks based on yield, resulting in broader diversification but potentially including lower-quality companies.
Sector Breakdown
- • Financials: ~20%
- • Healthcare: ~14%
- • Consumer Staples: ~12%
- • Industrials: ~11%
- • Energy: ~10%
VYM vs SCHD: Which Dividend ETF?
| Feature | VYM | SCHD |
|---|---|---|
| Holdings | 500+ | 100 |
| Dividend Yield | ~3.0% | ~3.5% |
| Selection Method | Above-average yield | Quality + dividend history |
| 5-Year Total Return | Lower | Higher |
| Volatility | Lower (more diversified) | Slightly higher |
The verdict: SCHD has outperformed VYM historically, but VYM offers more diversification. Some investors hold both — SCHD for quality and VYM for breadth.
How to Buy VYM from New Zealand
Choose a Platform
VYM is available on Hatch, Stake, Sharesies, and Interactive Brokers.
Fund Your Account
Deposit NZD and convert to USD. VYM trades around US$125 per share.
Buy VYM
Search "VYM" and place your order. Dividends are paid quarterly in March, June, September, and December.
VYM: Pros & Cons
Pros
- 500+ holdings for maximum diversification
- Ultra-low 0.06% expense ratio
- Lower volatility than SCHD
- Broad sector exposure
Cons
- ✕Lower total returns than SCHD historically
- ✕No quality screen — may include weaker companies
- ✕Lower dividend yield than SCHD
- ✕Heavy financial sector weighting
Diversify Your Dividend Income
Compare platforms for buying VYM from New Zealand
FAQ
Common questions about VYM
What is the VYM ETF?⌄
VYM is the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF — holding ~500 above-average-yield US stocks weighted by market cap. 0.06% TER, quarterly distributions. Broader and more diversified than quality-screened dividend ETFs, with historically lower yield concentration risk.
VYM vs SCHD — which suits which investor?⌄
VYM is broader (~500 holdings vs ~100), market-cap-weighted, with no quality screen — closer to a beta-weighted high-yield basket. SCHD applies a 10+ year dividend-history quality filter and has historically produced stronger dividend growth. Same TER (0.06%). VYM tends to win on diversification; SCHD tends to win on dividend-growth track record.
Can NZ residents buy VYM?⌄
Yes — via Hatch, Stake, Sharesies (US market), and Interactive Brokers. Subject to NZ FIF rules above NZ$50,000 cost base. 15% US withholding tax on quarterly dividends with a W-8BEN — the 15% is generally claimable as a foreign tax credit on your IR3.
How does VYM compare to NZ-listed dividend options?⌄
Smartshares NZ Dividend ETF (DIV) is NZX-listed, PIE-taxed, and focused on top NZ dividend payers — different geography, different tax wrapper. VYM gives broad US dividend-equity exposure but triggers FIF above NZ$50,000. Some investors hold both to combine geographic and tax-structure diversification.
Where to buy VYM from New Zealand
The platforms below all support VYM. Each link opens the platform's site directly — we don't take any payment for placement or for clicks.
Hatch
Sharesies
Interactive Brokers
Stake
Tiger BrokersFees + platform details verified against each provider's published rate card. Always check the current schedule before transacting.Full platform comparison →
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Sources for this VYM data
The figures on this page come from the documents below. We do not pull live prices; the data is reviewed against issuer fact sheets and exchange listings (last reviewed 2026-05-02). Which figures have been checked against the issuer by machine, rather than by eye, is stated below — an unchecked figure is labelled as such rather than left ambiguous.
- ✓Total expense ratioChecked against Vanguard's own fund data on 2026-09-05.
- ✓Distribution yieldChecked against Vanguard's own fund data on 2026-09-05.Measured as SEC 30-day standardised yield.
Issuer product page
investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/etfs/profile/vym
Fact sheet (PDF)
fund-docs.vanguard.com/F0923.pdf
External links open in a new tab. We do not earn commission on issuer product pages. See our methodology + disclosure.
Compare
VYM against the alternatives
3 side-by-side comparisons covering fee, yield and NZ tax wrapper. Characteristics, not recommendations.
| Comparison | The other fund | Its TER |
|---|---|---|
| VYM vs SCHD | SCHD | 0.06% |
| VYM vs JEPI | JEPI | 0.35% |
| VYM vs DIV | NZ Dividend (DIV) | 0.54% |
Related ETFs and resources
SCHD — quality-screened dividend alternative
100 stocks vs VYM 500+, both 0.06% TER.
SCHD vs VYM comparison
Quality screen vs broad yield.
JEPI — higher-income alternative
7.5% monthly via covered calls.
NZ dividend ETFs
PIE-tax NZX-listed dividend funds.
Dividend ETFs for NZ compared
Curated dividend picks across markets.
Dividend yield explained
What yield does and doesn't tell you.
