Data as of Sep 13, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| DISCOVERY | 0.07% | 0.06% |
| VODACOM GROUP LTD | 0.05% | 0.12% |
| HKD CASH | 0.04% | 0.02% |
| AYALA CORP | 0.01% | 0.04% |
| BLK CSH FND TREASURY SL AGENCY | 0.39% | 0.01% |
| CASH COLLATERAL USD UBFUT | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| IDR CASH | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| PLDT INC | 0.01% | 0.03% |
| SASOL | 0.07% | 0.01% |
| Only in EEM | Only in IEFA |
|---|---|
| TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING 15.18% | ASML HOLDING 2.62% |
| SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS LTD 7.46% | HSBC HOLDINGS PLC 1.40% |
| SK HYNIX 6.07% | ROCHE PS PAR AG 1.18% |
| TENCENT HOLDINGS 2.65% | SHELL PLC 1.09% |
| ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING 1.82% | MITSUBISHI UFJ FINANCIAL GROUP 1.00% |
| MEDIATEK 1.71% | NOVARTIS AG 0.99% |
| SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS NON VOTING PRE 0.97% | NESTLE SA 0.97% |
| CHINA CONSTRUCTION BANK CORP H 0.83% | ASTRAZENECA PLC 0.94% |
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.
| 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 | 965 | 1650 |
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 Sep 10, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 965 positions, with the top ten at 38.3%. 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 Sep 10, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 1650 positions, with the top ten at 12.0%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, EEM or IEFA?
- In the year to Sep 13, 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
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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, EEM against IEFA, data as of Sep 13, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/eem-vs-iefa Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources