I’m interested in the thoughts of other investors here with regards to distributing vs accumulating ETFs in a SIPP.
Whilst growing one’s pension it seems to me to be best to invest in accumulating ETFs instead of distributing ETFs. The Vanguard ETFs for example are based in Ireland and dividends have to be exchanged, resulting in the 0.45% fx fee everytime dividends are paid. But I’m happy to see alternative thoughts on this.
In a SIPP, I’d probably go for accumulating as for me that would be the purpose of the account (to build money for retirement). Distributing ETFs would sit better in a GIA/ISA for me personally as a means to generate income whilst also investing.
I haven’t got round to investing in a SIPP as we speak, but the question did make me think and forms my opinion on it. Certainly an interesting question though and interested to hear what others think!
Accumulating is generally better because it does the reinvesting part automatically.
I’m not aware of any fx costs for dividends, I’ve never seen a deduction on my email statements?! Also, it doesn’t really matter where an ETF is based, the denomination tells you what currency it’s based on.
In my AJ Bell SIPP (which I’m in the process of moving over), I used to get dividends (on distributing ETFs) paid into the SIPP just like that. They (Vanguard) then changed something about the ETFs (got a message about the change, so not something I’m imagining, however, I don’t recall the details about the change) and after subsequent dividends there was also an fx charge from AJ Bell in the transactions (which was 0.5% of the dividend, 0.5% being AJ Bell’s fx charge).
Accumulating for the reinvestment to be automatic.
Distributing if you want to do it yourself or move the dividends around to other places?
That’s what I think, but you may not have a choice as some of the ETFs don’t have an ACC variant. 
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You might like this latest piece by @DavidK
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Is there a quick and easy way to tell whether an ETF is Distributing or Accumulating? Some kind of market or identifier?
i m a kid with patience so can wait for Marshmallows. 
Please can I have
VHVG and VFEG
instead ? 
Some of them have letters at the end of the ETF. eg “Acc” or “Dr”.
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They don’t even have it in the app VHVG and VFEG. A lot of SPACs though If you like your Marshmallow high in cholesterol and trans fat 