Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IWM vs REMX: how they differ
Over the year REMX returned more, +21.9% against +21.2%, and IWM charges 0.19% against 0.53%.
iShares Russell 2000 ETF and VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, IWM and REMX hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | IWM | REMX |
|---|---|---|
| United States Antimony Corp. | 0.03% | 1.52% |
| Only in IWM | Only in REMX |
|---|---|
| Moog, Inc. 0.38% | Xiamen Tungsten Co Ltd 7.28% |
| Hut 8 Corp. 0.37% | Albemarle Corp 7.24% |
| Viasat, Inc. 0.35% | China Northern Rare Earth Group High-Tec 7.06% |
| BrightSpring Health Services, Inc. 0.35% | PLS Group Ltd 6.84% |
| Cytokinetics, Inc. 0.35% | Lynas Rare Earths Ltd 6.80% |
| MaxLinear, Inc. 0.34% | MP Materials Corp 6.20% |
| Argan, Inc. 0.34% | Jinduicheng Molybdenum Co Ltd 5.94% |
| UMB Financial Corp. 0.33% | Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile SA 4.92% |
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 Jun 30, 2026.
| IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | REMX VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Thematic ETF |
| Issuer | iShares | VanEck |
| What it is | Russell 2000 | Miners and metals |
| Total return, 1 year | +21.2% | +21.9% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +3.7 pts | +4.4 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.19% | 0.53% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 0.0% | 7.2% |
| Holdings | 2014 | 30 |
IWM in plain words
IWM is an index equity fund tracking the Russell 2000. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +21.2% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.19% 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 2014 positions, with the top ten at 3.4%. It sat 5.3% below its high of Aug 14, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
REMX in plain words
By weight, 7% of REMX's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 100%. The top ten holdings are 61% of the fund across 30 positions, as filed for Jun 30, 2026. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 the fund returned +21.9% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for the S&P 500, so a holder was ahead by 4.4 pts. It sits 67.6% below its all-time high of Apr 11, 2011.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IWM or REMX?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IWM returned +21.2% and REMX returned +21.9%, so REMX returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IWM or REMX?
- IWM charges 0.19% a year and REMX charges 0.53%, so IWM is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do IWM and REMX overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 0% of IWM and 7% of REMX 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.
- Are IWM and REMX the same kind of fund?
- No. IWM is an index ETF and REMX is a thematic ETF, so they are built for different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and what each actually holds.
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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, IWM against REMX, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/IWM-REMX Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources