BIV vs BSV ETF Comparison
Compare BIV and BSV across fund costs, diversification, holdings, performance, income, risk and current AlgovestIQ evidence.
What is the main difference between BIV and BSV?
BIV is Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond ETF, while BSV is Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF. BIV is tied to Core Investment Grade Bond; BSV is tied to Core Investment Grade Bond. BIV is broader by holdings count, with 298 positions versus 30 for BSV. Current AlgovestIQ evidence has BIV ahead on AIQ Score, 52 versus 49.
| Metric | BIV | BSV | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.03% | Fund |
| Assets under management | $51.9B | $70.6B | Fund |
| Holdings | 298 | 30 | Fund |
| Average volume | 1,470,616 | 3,051,045 | Fund |
| Underlying exposure | Core Investment Grade Bond | Core Investment Grade Bond | Fund |
| Annualized volatility | 4.2% | 2.1% | Risk |
| Max drawdown | -5.3% | -2.7% | Risk |
| Beta | 0.11 | 0.04 | Risk |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.73 | -2.79 | Risk |
| Sortino ratio | -2.52 | -3.39 | Risk |
| AIQ Score | 52/100 | 49/100 | AlgovestIQ |
| AIQ Edge Score | 5/10 | 3/10 | AlgovestIQ |
| Momentum | 31/100 | 26/100 | AlgovestIQ |
| Risk Resilience | 94/100 | 76/100 | AlgovestIQ |
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond ETF vs Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF
BIV leads
BIV leads by 3 AIQ points, primarily on Risk Resilience and Momentum.
Fragile: 1 of 4 evidence groups support BIV.
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond ETF
Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors BIV over BSV, 52 versus 49 as of Sep 5, 2026. BIV's advantage is driven primarily by stronger risk resilience and momentum. BIV also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 1 of 4 covered evidence groups favor BIV today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 3 points. BIV lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 3 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond ETF and Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF across performance, expense ratio, dividend yield, drawdown, volatility and the Algovestiq AIQ Score.
Compare BIV and BSV against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Risk Resilience15%94 vs 76BIV +18
- Momentum25%31 vs 26BIV +5
- Quality30%65 vs 68Even
- Value30%36 vs 36Even
1 of 4 evidence groups favor BIV. BIV’s edge is concentrated in risk resilience and momentum.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-03, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-02.
Largest factor move: Momentum +4
No new signals fired.
Largest factor move: Momentum +1
No new signals fired.
BIV's lead widened by 1 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — BIV and BSV both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
BIV (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond ETF): the stronger current systematic profile, led by risk resilience and momentum.
BSV (Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF): the counter-case, on technicals.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
BIVBIV on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value at 30% each.
Growth
EvenGrowth figures are not covered for both names.
Value
EvenThe two are level on Value.
Momentum
BIVBIV on the Momentum factor, by 5 points.
Lower downside
BIVBIV on Risk Resilience, by 18 points.
Analyst upside
EvenAnalyst targets are level or not covered for both names.
Fund facts, side by side
Two funds tracking overlapping universes are separated by cost and risk far more than by holdings. Those lead here.
| Measure | BIV | BSV | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.03% | 0.03% | Lower is better — it compounds against you every year you hold. |
| Assets under management | $51.9B | $70.6B | Larger funds generally carry tighter spreads. |
| Holdings | 298 | 30 | More holdings means broader diversification, not better returns. |
| Average volume | 1,470,616 | 3,051,045 | Liquidity — matters most if you trade size. |
| Annualized volatility | 4.2% | 2.1% | Lower is a steadier ride for the same exposure. |
| Max drawdown | -5.3% | -2.7% | The worst peak-to-trough loss on record for the fund. |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.73 | -2.79 | Return per unit of risk. Higher is better. |
| Beta | 0.11 | 0.04 | Sensitivity to the broad market. Neither direction is better — it depends on the role in your portfolio. |
Where the exposure actually sits
Sector exposure for each fund, ordered by the size of the difference.
Weighted holdings overlap is not available for this pair. Sector exposure above is a related but different measure — it says how much of each fund sits in the same parts of the market, not how much of the same securities they hold.
ETF comparison questions
Short answers to the fund-specific questions behind this comparison.
Which ETF is more diversified, BIV or BSV?
BIV currently has more reported holdings, with 298 positions versus 30.
Which has the lower expense ratio?
The current fund profile does not show a lower-cost winner.
Which ETF has the higher distribution yield?
The current dataset does not show a higher-yield winner.
Which ETF has been more volatile?
BIV has the higher annualized volatility in the current risk snapshot.
Which ETF has had the smaller drawdown?
BSV has the less severe max drawdown in the current risk snapshot.
Which ETF has the stronger current AlgovestIQ evidence?
BIV currently leads on supporting AlgovestIQ evidence, 52 to 49.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
1 of 4 covered evidence groups favor BIV. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | Even | 52 vs 49 |
| Fundamentals | Not covered | Not covered |
| Valuation | Even | Value 36 vs 36 |
| Technicals | BSV | Price vs 50-day -1.1% vs -0.5%; vs 200-day -2.7% vs -1.3% |
| Risk Resilience | BIV | Risk Resilience 94 vs 76 |
| Analyst expectations | Not covered | Not covered |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of BIV and BSV and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 3 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 1 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on BIV.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Apr 22 – Sep 3BIV lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 3 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- BIV +3
- 52 vs 49
- 7 sessions ago
- BIV +2
- 55 vs 53
- 30 sessions ago
- BIV +1
- 56 vs 55
- 90 sessions ago
- BIV +5
- 60 vs 55
The lead changed hands 5 times in this window, most recently on Aug 28 when BIV moved ahead of BSV.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
0 bullish / 5 bearish / 2 neutral
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (1.68%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- Keltner Channel Breakdown — bearish, volatility, short horizon
1 bullish / 4 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (0.87%)
- 52-Week High Proximity — bullish, risk, long horizon (2.5%)
- 52-Week Low Proximity — bearish, risk, long horizon (0.2%)
BSV is conflicted, so the timing case there is weaker than the score alone suggests.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -0.03%, AIQ +1 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price 0%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1BSV closes the Risk Resilience gap — currently 18 points behind, the largest single contributor to BIV's edge.
- 2BSV's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3BIV starts generating bearish momentum or trend signals.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — the composite weights Quality and Value at 30% each, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Technicals
BSV has the stronger structure| Metric | BIV | BSV |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 37.2 | 31.5 |
| ADX (14) | 14.7 | 23.5 |
| Price vs 50-day | -1.1% | -0.5% |
| Price vs 200-day | -2.7% | -1.3% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 4.6% | 2.4% |
Risk
BIV is the more resilient| Metric | BIV | BSV |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.11 | 0.04 |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.73 | -2.79 |
| Sortino ratio | -2.52 | -3.39 |
| Max drawdown | -5.3% | -2.7% |
| Current drawdown | -5.2% | -2.6% |
| Annualized volatility | 4.2% | 2.1% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -0.5% | -0.3% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, BIV or BSV?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, BIV is the stronger of the two as of Sep 5, 2026, scoring 52 against BSV's 49. The edge comes from risk resilience and momentum. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is BIV or BSV the better buy right now?
BIV carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 5, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 1 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 3 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor BIV over BSV?
The composite weights Quality at 30%, Value at 30%, Momentum at 25% and Risk Resilience at 15%. BIV leads Risk Resilience by 18 points; BIV leads Momentum by 5 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which is better value, BIV or BSV?
Neither name separates on the peer-relative Value factor. The two are level on Value. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, BIV or BSV?
Growth figures are not covered for both names. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, BIV or BSV?
BIV on the Momentum factor, by 5 points. Momentum carries 25% of the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, BIV or BSV?
BIV is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. BIV on Risk Resilience, by 18 points. The Risk Resilience factor weights 15% of the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is BIV more profitable than BSV?
Margin data is not comparable for both names in the current snapshot.
Is BIV's lead over BSV getting stronger or weaker?
BIV lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 3 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-04-22 and 2026-09-03. The lead has changed hands 5 times in that window, most recently on 2026-08-28, when BIV moved ahead of BSV.
What would change the BIV vs BSV verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: BSV closes the Risk Resilience gap — currently 18 points behind, the largest single contributor to BIV's edge; BSV's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; BIV starts generating bearish momentum or trend signals; a regime shift changes factor weighting — the composite weights Quality and Value at 30% each, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about BIV and BSV?
BIV: 0 bullish / 5 bearish / 2 neutral. BSV: 1 bullish / 4 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on BIV is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On BSV it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare BIV and BSV with others
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality (30%), Value (30%), Momentum (25%) and Risk (15%). Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.