List of Emerging Markets ETFs
Comprehensive directory and comparison of the most liquid List of Emerging Markets ETFs, covering broad index funds, factor-based strategies, and currency-hedged variants.
Navigating the List of Emerging Markets ETFs is essential for investors seeking growth outside of domestic U.S. markets. These funds provide exposure to rapidly developing economies like China, India, and Brazil, often at a lower cost than individual stock picking. While broad funds like VWO and IEMG offer a Complete Emerging Market ETF Overview, specialized factor and hedged ETFs allow for more surgical risk management. Understanding country concentration and currency risk is critical when selecting the right vehicle for your portfolio. This guide compares the top-ranking funds by fees, liquidity, and objective to simplify your research process.
Key Takeaways
Core funds like VWO and IEMG provide a Emerging Market ETF Overview, capturing hundreds of companies across multiple developing nations.
Many emerging market indexes are heavily weighted toward China, Taiwan, and South Korea, which can significantly influence total returns.
Hedged ETFs aim to mitigate the impact of a strong U.S. dollar, which can often erode the gains made in local foreign stock markets.
Expense ratios in the Emerging Market ETF Overview Page vary widely, making fee comparison a top priority for long-term investors.
Top List of Emerging Markets ETFs by Market Cap (2026)
The following table compares the largest and most liquid emerging markets ETFs currently available on U.S. exchanges.
| Rank | Ticker | Fund Name | Index Tracked | AUM | Exp Ratio | 1Y Return | Hedge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VWO | Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF | FTSE Emerging | $75.4B | 0.08% | +4.2% | No |
| 2 | IEMG | iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets | MSCI EM IMI | $72.1B | 0.09% | +4.5% | No |
| 3 | EEM | iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | MSCI EM | $18.5B | 0.70% | +3.8% | No |
| 4 | SCHE | Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF | FTSE Emerging | $8.9B | 0.11% | +4.0% | No |
| 5 | EMXC | iShares MSCI EM ex China ETF | MSCI EM ex China | $5.2B | 0.25% | +6.1% | No |
| 6 | DBEM | Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Hedged | MSCI EM Hedged | $1.4B | 0.65% | +7.2% | Yes |
| 7 | FEM | First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX | AlphaDEX EM | $1.1B | 0.80% | +5.4% | No |
| 8 | EWX | SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Small Cap | S&P EM SmallCap | $0.9B | 0.65% | +3.2% | No |
| 9 | FNDE | Schwab Fundamental Emerging Markets | RAFI EM Large | $0.8B | 0.39% | +4.8% | No |
| 10 | HEFA | iShares Currency Hedged EAFE ETF | MSCI EAFE Hedged | $3.8B | 0.35% | +8.1% | Yes |
List of Emerging Markets ETFs — Complete Company List
List of Emerging Markets ETFs Listed on U.S. Exchanges
Emerging Markets ETFs
- BLDRS Emerging Markets 50 ADR Index ETF (ADRE) (American Depository Receipts of emerging market companies)
- EGShares Beyond BRICs ETF (BBRC) (Excludes Brazil, Russia, India and China)
- EGShares EM Core ex-China ETF (XCEM)
- EGShares Emerging Markets CORE ETF (EMCR) (Excludes South Korea and Taiwan)
- First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX ETF (FEM) (Weighted towards China)
- First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Emerging Markets ETF (RFEM)
- FlexShares Morningstar Emerging Market Factor Tilt Index ETF (TLTE) (Weighted towards China, South Korea and Taiwan)
- Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF (FLQE)
- GaveKal Knowledge Leaders Emerging Markets ETF (KLEM)
- Global X Next Emerging & Frontier ETF (EMFM) (Weighted towards emerging markets)
- Guggenheim MSCI Emerging Markets Equal Weight ETF (EWEM) (Countries are equally weighed)
- iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) (Weighted towards China, South Korea and Taiwan)
- iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF (EMGF)
- iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) (Weighted towards China, South Korea and Taiwan)
- JPMorgan Diversified Return Emerging Markets Equity ETF (JPEM) (Weighted towards China and Taiwan)
- Lattice Emerging Market Strategy ETF (ROAM) (More weight on smaller emerging market countries)
- PowerShares FTSE RAFI Emerging Markets Portfolio (PXH) (Weighted towards China, Brazil and Taiwan)
- Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF (SCHE) (Weighted towards China, Brazil, India, South Africa and Taiwan)
- Schwab Fundamental Emerging Markets Large Company Index (FNDE) (Weighted towards large-sized companies)
- SPDR MSCI Emerging Markets Quality Mix ETF (QEMM) (Weighted towards China, South Korea and Taiwan)
- SPDR S&P Emerging Markets ETF (GMM) (Weighted towards China)
- Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) (Weighted towards China)
- Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index ETF (CEZ)
- WisdomTree Strong Dollar Emerging Markets Equity Fund (EMSD)
Hedged ETFs
Risks & Considerations
Geopolitical & Regulatory Risk
Emerging markets often face higher political instability, changes in government policy, and less stringent regulatory oversight than developed markets.
Currency Volatility
Investments are denominated in local currencies; if those currencies weaken against the U.S. dollar, the value of your ETF shares can drop even if the stocks go up.
Liquidity and Market Access
Some emerging and frontier markets have lower trading volumes, which can lead to higher bid-ask spreads and difficulty exiting positions during market stress.
Concentration Risk
Many broad EM funds are heavily weighted toward a few countries (like China) or sectors (like Technology), making them less diversified than they appear.