Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
EWJ vs SPY: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, EWJ returned +18.1% to SPY's +13.6%; 0% of their weight is in the same names.
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Net assets: $23.9bn on Oct 28, 2026 for iShares MSCI Japan ETF, and $814.8bn on Oct 27, 2026 for SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust.
Pair scorecard
SPY costs 0.40 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 4.5 points; SPY is far larger, $814.8bn against $23.8bn.
| Measure | EWJ | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +18.1% | +13.6% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 4.4%, high on Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | MSCI Japan Index | S&P 500 Index |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.49% | 0.09% |
| Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026 | $23.8bn | $814.8bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 0% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 29.5% | 38.1% |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated Oct 27, 2026. Method
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, EWJ and SPY hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Oct 27, 2026.
half
0% in common
Only in one fund ↓
Side by side
EWJ and SPY on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
EWJ
EWJ tracks the MSCI Japan. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +18.1% with distributions reinvested, against +14.3% for its benchmark, the MSCI ACWI ex USA Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.49% 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 169 positions, with the top ten at 29.5%. It sat 4.4% below its high of Oct 6, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
SPY
SPY tracks the S&P 500. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +13.6% with distributions reinvested, against +13.7% for its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.09% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 504 positions, with the top ten at 38.1%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, EWJ or SPY?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EWJ returned +18.1% and SPY +13.6%.
- Which is cheaper, EWJ or SPY?
- SPY is cheaper, by 0.40 percentage points a year. That is about $40 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.
How this is computed
Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for each security both funds hold.
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ETFIQ, EWJ against SPY, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ewj-vs-spy
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). EWJ against SPY. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ewj-vs-spy
[EWJ against SPY (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ewj-vs-spy)
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