Data as of Sep 13, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IEFA vs REMX: how they differ
Over the year REMX returned more, +21.9% against +18.0%, and IEFA charges 0.07% against 0.53%.
iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF and VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, IEFA and REMX hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in IEFA | Only in REMX |
|---|---|
| ASML HOLDING 2.62% | Pilbara Minerals Ltd 7.87% |
| HSBC HOLDINGS PLC 1.40% | Albemarle Corp 7.63% |
| ROCHE PS PAR AG 1.18% | Lynas Rare Earths Ltd 6.67% |
| SHELL PLC 1.09% | Mp Materials Corp 6.65% |
| MITSUBISHI UFJ FINANCIAL GROUP 1.00% | China Northern Rare Earth Group High-Te 6.58% |
| NOVARTIS AG 0.99% | Lianyou Metals Co Ltd 5.83% |
| NESTLE SA 0.97% | Sociedad Quimica Y Minera De Chile Sa 5.64% |
| ASTRAZENECA PLC 0.94% | Almonty Industries Inc 5.63% |
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.
| IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | REMX VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Thematic ETF |
| Issuer | iShares | VanEck |
| What it is | Core MSCI EAFE | Miners and metals |
| Total return, 1 year | +18.0% | +21.9% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +0.5 pts | +4.4 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.07% | 0.53% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 0.1% | 7.6% |
| Holdings | 1650 | 30 |
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%.
REMX in plain words
By weight, 8% 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 63% of the fund across 30 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 10, 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, IEFA or REMX?
- In the year to Sep 13, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IEFA returned +18.0% and REMX returned +21.9%, so REMX returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IEFA or REMX?
- IEFA charges 0.07% a year and REMX charges 0.53%, so IEFA is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do IEFA and REMX overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 0% of IEFA and 8% 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 IEFA and REMX the same kind of fund?
- No. IEFA 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, IEFA against REMX, data as of Sep 13, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iefa-vs-remx Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources