Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
EEM vs TDEC: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, EEM returned +16.3% to TDEC's +14.6%, and EEM charges 0.72% to TDEC's 0.95%.
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Net assets on Oct 27, 2026: $29.1bn for iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF and $13m for FT Vest Emerging Markets Buffer ETF - December.
Pair scorecard
EEM costs 0.23 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.7 points; EEM is far larger, $29.1bn against $13m.
| Measure | EEM | TDEC |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +16.3% | +14.6% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 10.8%, high on Jun 22, 2026 | |
| Index fall to the buffer | 15.4% | |
| Fund price fall to the buffer | 12.7% | |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | MSCI Emerging Markets Index | EEM |
| The outcome period | ||
| Room to the cap | 4.7% | |
| Buffer left, in index points | 10.0% of 10.0% | |
| Days left in the period | 51 | |
| Period ends | Dec 18, 2026 | |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.72% | 0.95% |
| Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026 | $29.1bn | $13m |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | not published | |
| In the S&P 500, by weight | 0% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 37.2% | |
Side by side
EEM and TDEC on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
EEM
EEM tracks an index of Emerging markets. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +16.3% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.72% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 1,186 positions, with the top ten at 37.2%. It sat 10.8% below its high of Jun 22, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
TDEC
From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 4.7% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 12.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, EEM can fall 15.4% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 10.0% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's EEM level. 51 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Dec 18, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
- Are EEM and TDEC in the same category?
- EEM is a stock ETF and TDEC is a buffer ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.
- Which returned more over the last year, EEM or TDEC?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EEM returned +16.3% and TDEC +14.6%.
- Which is cheaper, EEM or TDEC?
- EEM is cheaper, by 0.23 percentage points a year. That is about $23 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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ETFIQ, EEM against TDEC, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/eem-vs-tdec
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). EEM against TDEC. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/eem-vs-tdec
[EEM against TDEC (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/eem-vs-tdec)
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