Investor Checklist
- Issuer and listing venue: Vanguard, NYSEARCA.
- Launch date and fee: Apr 3, 2007, 0.03%.
- Portfolio size and concentration: 3,189 holdings, with the top 10 at 9.48%.
- Primary exposure: Fixed Income; Short-Term Bond; North America; Index: Bloomberg US Government/Credit - Float Adjusted (1-5 Y)
- Best use case: Bond sleeve, income allocation, duration exposure, or cash-management complement depending on maturity and credit profile.
- Main risk to respect: The key risk is that BSV's stated diversification may not protect investors if its dominant exposure, largest holdings, or main macro factor reverses. Current top-10 concentration is 9.48%.
BSV Investor Snapshot
BSV is Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF, issued by Vanguard. It is best understood as a defensive, income, or duration sleeve. The fund has $44.85B in AUM, charges 0.03%, holds 3,189 holdings, and has top-10 concentration of 9.48%. Its largest listed holdings include United States Treasury Notes (1.61%), United States Treasury Notes (1.16%), United States Treasury Notes (0.93%).
BSV ETF Facts: Launch Date, Issuer, Fee, Assets, And Strategy
BSV is Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF. Issuer: Vanguard. Exchange: NYSEARCA. Inception: Apr 3, 2007. Expense ratio: 0.03%. AUM: $44.85B. Mandate or tracked index: Bloomberg US Government/Credit - Float Adjusted (1-5 Y)
BSV Top Holdings And Concentration
Holdings snapshot: Apr 30, 2026. BSV has 3,189 holdings. The top 10 positions account for 9.48%, so investors should read the fund through its largest holdings first rather than assuming every ETF is equally diversified.
- T.3.875 04.30.31 - United States Treasury Notes: 1.61%
- T.3.5 01.31.28 - United States Treasury Notes: 1.16%
- T.3.875 03.31.28 - United States Treasury Notes: 0.93%
- T.4 02.28.30 - United States Treasury Notes: 0.91%
- T.3.375 12.31.27 - United States Treasury Notes: 0.89%
- T.0.875 11.15.30 - United States Treasury Notes: 0.82%
- T.4.375 07.15.27 - United States Treasury Notes: 0.80%
- T.3.75 04.30.28 - United States Treasury Notes: 0.80%
- T.3.625 08.31.27 - United States Treasury Notes: 0.78%
- T.3.5 09.30.29 - United States Treasury Notes: 0.78%
BSV Sector And Industry Exposure
BSV exposure summary: Fixed Income; Short-Term Bond; North America; Index: Bloomberg US Government/Credit - Float Adjusted (1-5 Y). These exposures explain what investors actually own after buying the ETF. A broad fund is usually driven by sector weights and mega-cap leadership; a sector or thematic fund is driven by the industry cycle; a bond or alternative asset fund is driven by macro variables rather than company earnings.
BSV Fees, Liquidity, And Product Structure
BSV trades on NYSEARCA. The stated expense ratio is 0.03%, and current AUM is $44.85B. Lower fees matter most for long holding periods, while AUM and trading depth matter when investors place larger orders or need reliable execution during volatile sessions.
BSV Return Drivers: What Has To Go Right
The return drivers for BSV are coupon income, duration, inflation expectations, real yields, and changes in the long end of the Treasury curve. That matters because two ETFs can both look diversified but respond to very different conditions. For BSV, investors should compare price performance with the fund's dominant exposure, the largest holdings, and the macro factor behind the category.
BSV Current Market Theme
Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF is a Short-Term Bond ETF with $44.85B in AUM, 3,189 holdings, top-10 concentration of 9.48%, and a leading exposure to Fixed Income; Short-Term Bond; North America; Index: Bloomberg US Government/Credit - Float Adjusted (1-5 Y). The largest holdings include United States Treasury Notes (1.61%), United States Treasury Notes (1.16%), United States Treasury Notes (0.93%).
When BSV Tends To Work
BSV tends to work when coupon income, duration, inflation expectations, real yields, and changes in the long end of the Treasury curve are moving in the fund's favor.
BSV Portfolio Role: Core Holding Or Satellite Position?
Bond sleeve, income allocation, duration exposure, or cash-management complement depending on maturity and credit profile. In practical portfolio terms, BSV should be sized according to whether it is replacing broad market exposure, adding a factor tilt, expressing a sector view, or hedging a macro risk. The more concentrated the fund, the less it should be treated as a complete portfolio by itself.
BSV Key Risks Investors Should Watch
The main risks are specific enough to check before buying, not generic ETF fine print.
- Market risk: BSV can fall with its asset class even when the fund structure works as designed.
- Concentration risk: top-10 weight is 9.48%, which is low for an ETF in this category.
- Exposure risk: the main exposure is Fixed Income; Short-Term Bond; North America; Index: Bloomberg US Government/Credit - Float Adjusted (1-5 Y)
- Fee and trading risk: expense ratio is 0.03%; investors should still check spread, volume, and premium/discount before large orders.
- Thesis risk: The key risk is that BSV's stated diversification may not protect investors if its dominant exposure, largest holdings, or main macro factor reverses. Current top-10 concentration is 9.48%.
Who BSV Is Suitable For
BSV can be useful, but the right investor depends on time horizon, existing overlap, and drawdown tolerance.
- More suitable for investors who need a defensive, income, or duration sleeve.
- More suitable for investors who understand that BSV's top holdings and sector exposures can dominate short-term returns.
- Less suitable for investors who need stable cash income unless the fund's underlying asset class is explicitly income-oriented.
- Less suitable for investors already heavily exposed to the same largest holdings or same macro factor.
BSV What To Monitor Next
BSV should be reviewed after new holdings files, major market moves, or category-specific catalysts. The most important checks are:
- Holdings as of Apr 30, 2026.
- AUM: $44.85B.
- Expense ratio: 0.03%.
- Top-10 weight: 9.48%.
BSV Action Reference
A useful ETF article should end with a decision framework. For BSV, the practical read is:
- Income investor: compare yield, duration, and rate sensitivity before sizing.
- Macro investor: use only when the rate view and drawdown tolerance are clear.
- Conservative investor: do not treat long-duration bond ETFs as cash.
BSV Bottom Line
BSV is not just a fund name. It is a package of exposures: Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF; issuer Vanguard; fee 0.03%; AUM $44.85B; 3,189 holdings; top-10 weight 9.48%; holdings date Apr 30, 2026. The investment case is strongest when the fund's largest holdings, main exposure, and category-level return drivers all point in the same direction.
Common Questions
What is BSV?
BSV is Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF, a Short-Term Bond issued by Vanguard.
When did BSV launch?
BSV's inception date is Apr 3, 2007.
What is the BSV expense ratio?
BSV charges an expense ratio of 0.03%.
What does BSV hold?
BSV holds 3,189 holdings. Major holdings include United States Treasury Notes (1.61%), United States Treasury Notes (1.16%), United States Treasury Notes (0.93%), United States Treasury Notes (0.91%), United States Treasury Notes (0.89%).
Is BSV diversified?
BSV's top 10 holdings are 9.48%.
Who might use BSV?
Bond sleeve, income allocation, duration exposure, or cash-management complement depending on maturity and credit profile.