Best Emerging Market ETFs (2026)
Which emerging-markets fund to hold — 10 funds ranked on cost, yield, return, risk and ETFValuer's overall grade.
Every figure on this page is recalculated from market data each day, so the ranking reflects current conditions rather than whenever this page was written. Educational content — not financial advice.
Top Picks Right Now
- best risk-adjusted return (Sharpe 1.53)
- strongest 3-year return at +83.0%
- scores 75.4 on the overall model (grade B+)
Ranked by ETFValuer's overall score. Recalculated every day from live market data — these positions change as the underlying numbers move.
At a Glance
Each superlative is measured within this group of 10 funds, not across the whole market.
All 10 Funds Ranked
| Fund | Category | Cost | Yield | 1Y | 3Y | Volatility | Max DD | Sharpe | AUM | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 EMXCiShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China ETF | Emerging Markets | 0.25% | 1.88% | +46.2% | +83.0% | 26.9% | -19.1% | 1.53 | $26.1B | 78.6 | B+ |
| 2 IEMGiShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | Emerging Markets | 0.09% | 1.48% | +27.4% | +61.1% | 23.2% | -17.2% | 0.96 | $160.7B | 75.4 | B+ |
| 3 AVEMAvantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF | Emerging Markets | 0.33% | 1.82% | +28.4% | +69.4% | 23.4% | -18.0% | 1.00 | $26.2B | 72.3 | B |
| 4 FNDESchwab Fundamental Emerging Markets Equity ETF | Emerging Markets | 0.39% | 3.78% | +22.6% | +63.0% | 16.1% | -18.4% | 1.10 | $9.2B | 70.0 | B |
| 5 EEMiShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | Emerging Markets | 0.72% | 1.18% | +29.3% | +62.1% | 24.0% | -17.3% | 1.01 | $30.3B | 68.8 | B |
| 6 DFEMDimensional Emerging Markets Core Equity 2 ETF | Emerging Markets | 0.39% | 1.85% | +25.5% | +59.7% | 22.0% | -18.1% | 0.93 | $9.3B | 66.2 | B |
| 7 VWOVanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund | Emerging Markets | 0.06% | 1.93% | +15.8% | +47.0% | 17.4% | -17.4% | 0.62 | $163.3B | 65.5 | B |
| 8 SPEMState Street SPDR Portfolio Emerging Markets ETF | Emerging Markets | 0.07% | 2.53% | +16.5% | +49.8% | 17.5% | -17.6% | 0.66 | $17.3B | 63.5 | C |
| 9 SCHESchwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF | Emerging Markets | 0.06% | 2.66% | +16.3% | +48.8% | 17.8% | -17.1% | 0.64 | $12.5B | 62.9 | C |
| 10 DGSWisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund | Emerging Markets | 0.58% | 3.75% | +12.4% | +37.3% | 17.3% | -19.3% | 0.43 | $1.8B | 48.5 | D |
Max DD is the deepest peak-to-trough fall over the measurement window. Sharpe ratio measures return per unit of volatility — higher is better. Every figure is recalculated daily.
What Makes a Good Fund Here
Emerging-market funds differ sharply in how much China they hold and whether they include South Korea and Taiwan as emerging or developed. Two EM funds can therefore behave quite differently despite the shared label.
The ETFValuer score blends trailing return, risk-adjusted return, expense ratio, maximum drawdown, fund size and volatility, each percentile-ranked against the full tracked universe, into a single 0-100 figure graded A+ to F. It is a systematic summary of past data, not a forecast — read it alongside the individual columns rather than instead of them.
Head-to-Head Comparisons
Full metric-by-metric breakdowns for the closest calls in this group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best emerging markets ETF?
EMXC leads the 10 EM funds tracked with a score of 78.6 (B+). VWO charges the least at 0.06%.
Are emerging market ETFs riskier?
Yes — they add currency risk, political risk and weaker shareholder protections on top of normal equity risk. The volatility and drawdown columns above quantify how that has played out over the trailing period.
Compare any of these funds directly
Side-by-side metrics, holdings overlap and return correlation for any pair.