Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
EFA vs IEMG: how they differ
EFA and IEMG hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and IEMG returned more over the year.
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF and iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, EFA and IEMG hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | EFA | IEMG |
|---|---|---|
| EURO | 0.19% | 0.00% |
| HONG KONG DOLLAR | 0.00% | 0.01% |
| GREAT BRITISH POUND | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| SINGAPORE DOLLARS | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Only in EFA | Only in IEMG |
|---|---|
| ASML Holding N.V. 2.60% | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Compa 12.52% |
| HSBC HOLDINGS PLC 1.47% | SK hynix Inc. 5.83% |
| ASTRAZENECA PLC 1.36% | Tencent Holdings Limited 2.38% |
| Novartis AG 1.30% | Alibaba Group Holding Limited 1.83% |
| Nestle S.A. 1.21% | MediaTek Inc. 1.42% |
| SHELL PLC 1.20% | DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC. 1.03% |
| Siemens Aktiengesellschaft 1.05% | HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD. 0.79% |
| COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA 0.98% | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 0.74% |
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.
| EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | IEMG iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | iShares |
| What it is | Developed markets ex US | Core MSCI Emerging Markets |
| Total return, 1 year | +18.2% | +30.6% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +0.7 pts | +13.1 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.32% | 0.09% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Holdings | 705 | 2695 |
EFA in plain words
EFA is an index equity fund tracking the Developed markets ex US. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +18.2% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.32% 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 705 positions, with the top ten at 13.4%.
IEMG in plain words
IEMG is an index equity fund tracking the Core MSCI Emerging Markets. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +30.6% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.09% 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 2695 positions, with the top ten at 34.1%. It sat 4.0% below its high of Jun 22, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, EFA or IEMG?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EFA returned +18.2% and IEMG returned +30.6%, so IEMG returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, EFA or IEMG?
- EFA charges 0.32% a year and IEMG charges 0.09%, so IEMG is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do EFA and IEMG overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 0% of EFA and 0% of IEMG 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
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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, EFA against IEMG, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/EFA-IEMG Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources