Data as of Sep 13, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
ACWI vs EFA: how they differ
ACWI and EFA hold 22% of their weight in the same names, and ACWI returned more over the year.
iShares MSCI ACWI ETF and iShares MSCI EAFE ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, ACWI and EFA hold 22% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | ACWI | EFA |
|---|---|---|
| ASML HOLDING | 0.65% | 3.01% |
| HSBC HOLDINGS PLC | 0.35% | 1.61% |
| SHELL PLC | 0.26% | 1.25% |
| MITSUBISHI UFJ FINANCIAL GROUP | 0.25% | 1.15% |
| NOVARTIS AG | 0.25% | 1.15% |
| NESTLE SA | 0.24% | 1.12% |
| ASTRAZENECA PLC | 0.23% | 1.09% |
| BHP GROUP LTD | 0.22% | 1.05% |
| SIEMENS N AG | 0.21% | 0.98% |
| ALLIANZ | 0.19% | 0.88% |
| COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA | 0.18% | 0.83% |
| TOYOTA MOTOR | 0.18% | 0.84% |
| Only in ACWI | Only in EFA |
|---|---|
| NVIDIA 4.89% | SEK CASH 0.05% |
| APPLE 4.67% | ACCIONA 0.03% |
| MICROSOFT 3.38% | AMUNDI SA 0.03% |
| AMAZON.COM INC 2.38% | GJENSIDIGE FORSIKRING 0.03% |
| ALPHABET CLASS A 1.90% | INDUSTRIVARDEN A 0.03% |
| TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING 1.86% | LOTUS BAKERIES NV 0.03% |
| BROADCOM INC 1.59% | NIPPON SANSO HOLDINGS 0.03% |
| ALPHABET CLASS C 1.50% | SCHRODERS PLC 0.03% |
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 Sep 10, 2026.
| ACWI iShares MSCI ACWI ETF | EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | iShares |
| What it is | MSCI ACWI | Developed markets ex US |
| Total return, 1 year | +19.1% | +18.2% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +1.6 pts | +0.7 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.32% | 0.32% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 61.4% | 0.0% |
| Holdings | 1630 | 670 |
ACWI in plain words
ACWI is an index equity fund tracking the MSCI ACWI. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +19.1% 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 Sep 10, 2026, 61% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 1630 positions, with the top ten at 24.6%.
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. By its holdings filed for Sep 10, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 670 positions, with the top ten at 13.8%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, ACWI or EFA?
- In the year to Sep 13, 2026, with distributions reinvested, ACWI returned +19.1% and EFA returned +18.2%, so ACWI returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, ACWI or EFA?
- ACWI charges 0.32% a year and EFA charges 0.32%, so ACWI is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do ACWI and EFA overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 61% of ACWI and 0% of EFA by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 22% 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, ACWI against EFA, data as of Sep 13, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/acwi-vs-efa Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources