NYSE Arca · ETF
Invest in VSS ETF from India
Indian and foreign residents can buy Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small- ETF (VSS) units directly through Paasa.
By Paasa · Updated
VSS at a glance
- Price
- $155.25-$0.29 (0.19%)
- Expense ratio
- 0.06%
- Day range
- $155.07 – $156.47
- Assets
- $14.5B
- Domicile
- the US
- Holdings
- 4,816
- Launched
- 2009
- Dividends
- Accumulating
- 1 month
- -3.37%
- 6 months
- +9.75%
- YTD
- +7.97%
- 1 year
- +8.91%
- 5 years
- +16.13%
Price change, excluding dividends.
Top 10 holdings
- 1SLBBH11425.9%
- 2Yuan Renminbi2.0%
- 3Hudbay Minerals Inc0.3%
- 4Taiwan Union Technology Corp0.3%
- 5Eldorado Gold Corp0.3%
- 6DPM Metals Inc0.2%
- 7LandMark Optoelectronics Corp0.2%
- 8Aritzia Inc0.2%
- 9Gaztransport Et Technigaz SA0.2%
- 10Storebrand ASA0.2%
VSS holds 4,816 securities in total. These 10 are 9.9% of the fund.
Where the money is invested
Sectors
- Industrials20.8%
- Technology14.8%
- Basic Materials13.4%
- Financial Services11.9%
- Consumer Cyclical10.2%
- Real Estate7.8%
Countries
- Japan13.9%
- Canada9.3%
- Taiwan (Province of China)8.3%
- United Kingdom6.7%
- India6.3%
- Other6.3%
How to invest in VSS from India
Step 1
Open your Paasa account
KYC takes a few minutes: PAN, Aadhaar and address proof. Your brokerage account is opened in your own name with Interactive Brokers.
Step 2
Add funds from your Indian bank account
Remit up to $250,000 a year under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme. Your bank converts the rupees to US dollars at its rate on the day you remit.
Step 3
Search VSS and buy
Find the fund by its ticker, VSS, on NYSE Arca, and place your order. Fractional units are available and there is no minimum trade size, so you can buy by amount.
Why invest in VSS from India
What VSS holds
This ETF, known as the Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap ETF, is designed to mirror the performance of the FTSE Global Small Cap ex US Index. It offers investors a straightforward avenue for achieving comprehensive exposure to a broad array of smaller companies in both established and developing markets worldwide, specifically outside the United States.
Dividends reinvested for you
Dividends from VSS' holdings are reinvested inside the fund, so nothing is paid out to you and there is no dividend to declare in India.
Hold a dollar asset
VSS is priced in US dollars, so a weaker rupee adds to what it's worth in rupees. The rupee depreciated over 85% against the dollar between 2010 and 2025.
Buy a fraction of a unit
Buy by amount, not by unit, and get the matching fraction of one VSS unit. There is no minimum trade size.
Paasa handles the paperwork
Investing abroad brings paperwork with it: remittance filings, capital gains reporting, foreign asset disclosure. Paasa prepares all of it for you. Your India-ready tax reports arrive at year end, ready to file.
Planning to hold more than $60,000 in US ETFs? Here's what US estate tax means for you.
US-domiciled ETFs held in your own name fall under US estate tax rules. If your US holdings cross $60,000, the amount above that can be taxed at up to 40% when the account passes to your family.
A UCITS ETF tracking a similar market sits outside US estate tax.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy VSS from India?
Yes. Indian residents can buy Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small- ETF (VSS) through Paasa. It is listed on NYSE Arca and trades in US dollars. Your money leaves India under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme, and the units are held in your own name at Interactive Brokers.
What does VSS invest in?
Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small- ETF holds 4,816 securities. Its largest holdings are SLBBH1142 (5.9%), Yuan Renminbi (2.0%) and Hudbay Minerals Inc (0.3%). Industrials is its largest sector at 20.8%. It is an accumulating fund domiciled in the US.
What is the expense ratio of VSS?
Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small- ETF has an expense ratio of 0.06% a year, taken from the fund's assets rather than billed to you. The fund manages about $14.5B.
Does VSS pay dividends?
No. Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small- ETF is an accumulating fund. Dividends from its holdings are reinvested inside the fund, so nothing is paid out to you and there is no dividend to declare in India.
What tax do I pay in India when I sell VSS?
The US does not levy capital gains tax on shares for Indian residents. In India, gains on foreign ETF units held for more than 24 months are long-term and taxed at 12.5% without indexation, and gains on units held for 24 months or less are short-term and taxed at your income-tax slab rate. Both are worked out in rupees at the USD/INR rate on the day you bought and the day you sold, so the currency move is part of the gain. Paasa's capital-gains statement gives you the figures for your return.
Can I buy a fraction of one VSS unit?
Yes. You can buy by amount rather than by unit and add to your position over time. One unit is $155.25, and there is no minimum trade size.
What happens to my VSS units if I pass away?
US-domiciled ETFs held in your own name fall under US estate tax rules. If your US holdings cross $60,000, the amount above that can be taxed at up to 40% when the account passes to your family. A UCITS ETF tracking a similar market sits outside US estate tax. Paasa's US estate tax calculator shows the exposure for a given portfolio value.