Meet the First ETF to Surpass $2 Trillion in Net Assets. Here's Why It's a Great Buy in October

Core Insights - The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF has surpassed $2 trillion in net assets, making it the largest ETF compared to other popular funds like the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, which has $1.37 trillion in net assets [2][1] - The S&P 500 index is heavily influenced by a few large companies, with Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple accounting for 20% of the index, while the "Ten Titans" make up 39% [4] - The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF offers over 3,500 components, providing broader market exposure compared to the 504 components of the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF [5] Fund Comparisons - Both the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF have the same low expense ratio of 0.03%, making them cost-effective options for investors [5] - Over the past decade, the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF has slightly outperformed the Total Stock Market ETF due to the dominance of mega-cap growth stocks [6] - The minimum investment for both ETFs is just $1, making them accessible for investors with limited capital [7] Investment Strategy - The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF is ideal for investors looking for broad exposure to the U.S. stock market rather than just the S&P 500 or Nasdaq-100 [8] - The fund is suitable for a "set it and forget it" investment strategy, appealing to long-term investors [9]