Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
EEM vs IEFA: how they differ
EEM and IEFA hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and EEM returned more over the year.
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF and iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, EEM and IEFA hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | EEM | IEFA |
|---|---|---|
| EURO | 0.00% | 0.17% |
| HONG KONG DOLLAR | 0.02% | 0.00% |
| Only in EEM | Only in IEFA |
|---|---|
| Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Compa 14.28% | ASML Holding N.V. 2.23% |
| SK hynix Inc. 6.65% | HSBC HOLDINGS PLC 1.25% |
| Tencent Holdings Limited 2.71% | ASTRAZENECA PLC 1.17% |
| Alibaba Group Holding Limited 2.08% | Novartis AG 1.11% |
| MediaTek Inc. 1.62% | Nestle S.A. 1.03% |
| DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC. 1.17% | SHELL PLC 1.03% |
| HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD. 0.90% | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft 0.90% |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 0.85% | COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA 0.84% |
Weight overlap is an ETFIQ calculation: for every security both funds hold, the smaller of the two weights, summed. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Apr 30, 2026 and May 31, 2026.
| EEM iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | iShares |
| What it is | Emerging markets | Core MSCI EAFE |
| Total return, 1 year | +32.3% | +18.0% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +14.8 pts | +0.5 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.72% | 0.07% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Holdings | 1245 | 2632 |
EEM in plain words
EEM is an index equity fund tracking the Emerging markets. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +32.3% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.72% a year. By its holdings filed for May 31, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 1245 positions, with the top ten at 38.9%. It sat 4.7% below its high of Jun 22, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
IEFA in plain words
IEFA is an index equity fund tracking the Core MSCI EAFE. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +18.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.07% a year. By its holdings filed for Apr 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 2632 positions, with the top ten at 11.5%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, EEM or IEFA?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EEM returned +32.3% and IEFA returned +18.0%, so EEM returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, EEM or IEFA?
- EEM charges 0.72% a year and IEFA charges 0.07%, so IEFA is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do EEM and IEFA overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 0% of EEM and 0% of IEFA by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 0% of their books are the same securities at the same weight.
Other comparisons
Where to next
Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, EEM against IEFA, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/EEM-IEFA Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources