Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IEFA vs VEA: how they differ
IEFA and VEA hold 9% of their weight in the same names, and VEA returned more over the year.
iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF and Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, IEFA and VEA hold 9% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | IEFA | VEA |
|---|---|---|
| Allianz SE | 0.69% | 0.56% |
| UBS Group AG | 0.56% | 0.48% |
| Siemens Energy AG | 0.65% | 0.45% |
| Infineon Technologies AG | 0.35% | 0.38% |
| Zurich Insurance Group AG | 0.40% | 0.34% |
| GSK PLC | 0.42% | 0.33% |
| Deutsche Telekom AG | 0.47% | 0.29% |
| AXA SA | 0.32% | 0.25% |
| Muenchener Rueckversicherungs-Gesellscha | 0.31% | 0.22% |
| Nokia Oyj | 0.27% | 0.21% |
| Nordea Bank Abp | 0.23% | 0.19% |
| Deutsche Post AG | 0.22% | 0.17% |
| Only in IEFA | Only in VEA |
|---|---|
| ASML Holding N.V. 2.23% | ASML Holding NV 2.37% |
| HSBC HOLDINGS PLC 1.25% | Samsung Electronics Co Ltd 1.56% |
| ASTRAZENECA PLC 1.17% | SK hynix Inc 1.40% |
| Novartis AG 1.11% | HSBC Holdings PLC 1.01% |
| Nestle S.A. 1.03% | Novartis AG 0.91% |
| SHELL PLC 1.03% | Royal Bank of Canada 0.90% |
| Siemens Aktiengesellschaft 0.90% | AstraZeneca PLC 0.87% |
| COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA 0.84% | Nestle SA 0.82% |
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 Jun 30, 2026.
| IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | VEA Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | Vanguard |
| What it is | Core MSCI EAFE | Developed markets ex US |
| Total return, 1 year | +18.0% | +24.5% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +0.5 pts | +7.0 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.07% | 0.03% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Holdings | 2632 | 3870 |
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%.
VEA in plain words
VEA is an index equity fund tracking the Developed markets ex US. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +24.5% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 3870 positions, with the top ten at 13.2%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IEFA or VEA?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IEFA returned +18.0% and VEA returned +24.5%, so VEA returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IEFA or VEA?
- IEFA charges 0.07% a year and VEA charges 0.03%, so VEA is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do IEFA and VEA overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 0% of IEFA and 0% of VEA by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 9% 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, IEFA against VEA, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/IEFA-VEA Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources