AAXJ — iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan ETF
International Developed Ranked #184 of 458 tracked ETFs · Issued by iShares
AAXJ Price Performance — Growth of $10,000
Value of a $10,000 investment in AAXJ over time, compared with SPY. Both lines are rebased to $10,000 on the first shared date. Based on total returns — prices are adjusted for dividends and splits, so this assumes distributions were reinvested. Hover or tap the chart for exact values.
AAXJ Drawdown
The "underwater" chart: AAXJ's decline from its highest prior value at each point in time. It shows how deep past losses ran and how long the fund took to recover to break-even.
What If You'd Invested in AAXJ?
See what a lump sum in AAXJ would have grown to, with the option to add a regular monthly contribution on top. Figures use total returns — dividends are assumed reinvested.
Past performance doesn't predict future results. Assumes contributions on the first trading day of each month, no trading costs or taxes, and reinvested distributions. History is limited to the range published in the site's daily return data.
Overview
The iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan ETF (AAXJ) operates within the International Developed category, where ETFValuer tracks a total of 22 funds. Issued by iShares, this fund holds an asset base of $3.97 billion and trades at a price of $109.86. It currently holds an overall rank of #184 out of 458 tracked ETFs across all categories, receiving an ETFValuer grade of C with a score of 63.8 out of 100. The fund charges an expense ratio of 0.72% and offers a dividend yield of 1.29%. The combination of its $3.97 billion in assets and its mid-tier ranking suggests a moderate level of investor adoption relative to the broader universe of tracked funds. Its position as the 184th ranked fund among 458 indicates it sits in the lower half of the overall performance spectrum despite its significant asset size.
Recent price action shows a sharp decline of -2.13% over the last day, following a marginal gain of +0.05% over the past week. Over the last month, the fund experienced a significant drop of -6.26%, yet it has recovered to post a 3-month return of +3.49%. This upward momentum accelerated over the next six months, delivering a return of +10.75%, and continued into the year-to-date period with a gain of +14.81%. The longer-term trajectory demonstrates strong growth, with a 1-year return of +29.69% and a 3-year return of +65.04%. This pattern indicates a divergence between short-term volatility and sustained long-term appreciation. The fund's performance has shown a clear acceleration from the negative monthly figures to substantial multi-year gains.
The fund carries a High volatility label and a beta of 1.05, indicating that its price movements tend to be slightly more pronounced than the broader market. A Sharpe ratio of 1.00 suggests that the fund has generated a reasonable amount of excess return for each unit of risk taken over the measured period. However, the maximum drawdown of -19.74% highlights the potential for significant temporary losses during market downturns. This combination of high volatility and a beta above 1.0 implies the fund is more sensitive to market swings than the average asset. While the Sharpe ratio reflects positive risk-adjusted returns, the substantial drawdown underscores the magnitude of downside risk investors may face. The data collectively points to a fund that offers high returns but requires tolerance for significant price fluctuations and deep corrections.
AI-generated summary based on the data on this page.
AAXJ Top Holdings
| # | Holding | % of Net Assets | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited | 16.28% | $625M |
| 2 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 6.78% | $260M |
| 3 | SK hynix Inc. | 4.63% | $178M |
| 4 | Tencent Holdings Limited | 3.70% | $142M |
| 5 | Alibaba Group Holding Limited | 2.70% | $103M |
| 6 | BlackRock Funds III: BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional; SL Agency Shares | 1.82% | $70M |
| 7 | DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC. | 1.30% | $50M |
| 8 | MediaTek Inc. | 1.21% | $47M |
| 9 | AIA Group Limited | 1.09% | $42M |
| 10 | CHINA CONSTRUCTION BANK CORPORATION | 1.03% | $39M |
Holdings as of 2026-04-30 per the fund's most recent SEC N-PORT-P filing. Top 10 holdings make up 40.5% of net assets — a rough gauge of concentration risk (the higher this figure, the more the fund's return depends on a handful of names). To see how AAXJ's holdings overlap with other ETFs you own or are considering, check the Stock Overlap tool.
Which Funds Overlap With AAXJ
Holding two funds that own the same companies adds cost and complexity without adding much diversification. These tracked ETFs share the most names with AAXJ's top 10 — IEMG overlaps most, holding 7 of the same companies as AAXJ's top 10 (36.9% of AAXJ's assets).
| ETF | Name | Shared Companies | AAXJ Weight | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IEMG | iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | 7 | 36.9% | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SK hynix Inc.… |
| EEM | iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | 7 | 36.9% | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SK hynix Inc.… |
| ESGE | iShares ESG Aware MSCI EM ETF | 7 | 36.4% | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SK hynix Inc.… |
| DFEM | Dimensional Emerging Markets Core Equity 2 ETF | 7 | 36.4% | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SK hynix Inc.… |
| IXUS | iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF | 6 | 35.9% | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SK hynix Inc.… |
Compares the top 10 reported holdings of each fund, so it's a floor on true overlap — two S&P 500 trackers overlap ~100% even when only 10 names are listed. Use the Stock Overlap tool to search by individual company.
Market Backdrop
10-Year Treasury Yield: 4.71% (as of 2026-07-23) — The yield on 10-year US Treasury bonds — the standard "risk-free rate" benchmark used to contextualize this fund’s Sharpe ratio and returns.
CBOE Volatility Index (VIX): 18.70 (as of 2026-07-23) — A real-time gauge of expected S&P 500 volatility over the next 30 days — useful context for this fund’s own volatility label.
Federal Funds Rate: 3.63% (as of 2026-06-01) — The Federal Reserve’s target policy rate, which anchors short-term borrowing costs across the economy.
Trade-Weighted US Dollar Index: 120.53 (as of 2026-07-17) — Measures the US dollar’s strength against major trading-partner currencies — dollar moves directly affect the US-dollar value of this fund’s international holdings.
What AAXJ's Fees Cost You
AAXJ charges an expense ratio of 0.72% a year, deducted automatically from the fund's value. Small percentages compound into real money — adjust the figures below to see the impact on your own numbers.
Assumes a constant gross return and no additional contributions — a simplification, but it isolates exactly what the expense ratio costs. Try the full fee calculator to model contributions and compare any two funds.
AAXJ Dividend Income Estimator
AAXJ currently yields 1.29%. Enter an amount to see the income that implies, or set a monthly income target to see the investment it would take.
Based on the fund's current trailing yield, which varies with price and distributions — treat it as an estimate, not a guarantee. Yields are not adjusted for tax.
AAXJ Liquidity, Domicile & Tax Treatment
Liquidity: Quoted bid/ask spread is 6.43% and average daily volume is 662K/day. Tighter spreads and higher volume mean lower round-trip trading costs; this is a live-market snapshot and can widen during volatile sessions. AUM of $3.97B provides ample scale, supporting tight spreads and issuer commitment to keep the fund open.
Domicile & tax treatment: AAXJ is a US-domiciled, SEC-registered ('40 Act) exchange-traded fund. Dividends and capital gains distributions are reported to US investors on Form 1099-DIV, and the fund is not subject to the PFIC reporting or UCITS-specific rules that apply to Irish- or Luxembourg-domiciled funds. Non-US investors should note that US-domiciled ETFs are generally subject to 30% US withholding tax on dividends (unless reduced by treaty) and to US estate tax exposure on the position — Irish-domiciled UCITS ETFs tracking the same index often avoid both, which is why non-US residents frequently prefer the UCITS equivalent where one exists. This is general information, not tax advice — consult a tax professional for your situation.
AAXJ Performance History
| Period | Return |
|---|---|
| 1-Day | -2.13% |
| 1-Week | +0.05% |
| 1-Month | -6.26% |
| 3-Month | +3.49% |
| 6-Month | +10.75% |
| YTD | +14.81% |
| 1-Year | +29.69% |
| 3-Year | +65.04% |
How AAXJ Compares to Other International Developed ETFs
| Rank | Grade | Ticker | Name | 1-Year | Exp. Ratio | AUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #13 | B+ |
EFV | iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF | +26.00% | 0.31% | $23.7B |
| #15 | B+ |
SCHF | Schwab International Equity ETF | +23.32% | 0.03% | $66.2B |
| #17 | B+ |
VEA | Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets Index Fund ETF Shares | +22.61% | 0.03% | $316B |
| #19 | B+ |
SPDW | State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF | +22.64% | 0.03% | $40.3B |
| #24 | B+ |
VPL | Vanguard FTSE Pacific Index Fund ETF Shares | +33.16% | 0.07% | $13.8B |
| #48 | B+ |
AVDE | Avantis International Equity ETF | +20.93% | 0.23% | $17.2B |
| #61 | B |
DFAX | Dimensional World ex U.S. Core Equity 2 ETF | +22.14% | 0.28% | $11.9B |
| #76 | B |
IDEV | iShares Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF | +18.05% | 0.04% | $30.6B |
| #94 | B |
IEFA | iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | +16.72% | 0.07% | $187B |
| #137 | B |
EFA | iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | +16.83% | 0.32% | $77.2B |
| #138 | B |
IPAC | iShares Core MSCI Pacific ETF | +20.94% | 0.09% | $2.59B |
| #150 | B |
VGK | Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF | +14.52% | 0.06% | $37.9B |
| #179 | C |
IEUR | iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF | +14.08% | 0.1% | $8.64B |
| #184 | C |
AAXJ | iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan ETF | +29.69% | 0.72% | $3.97B |
| #212 | C |
SCHC | Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF | +13.33% | 0.06% | $5.34B |
| #218 | C |
SCZ | iShares MSCI EAFE Small-Cap ETF | +13.90% | 0.4% | $14.4B |
| #221 | C |
VSS | Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares | +12.61% | 0.06% | $13.8B |
| #249 | C |
EZU | iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF | +14.74% | 0.5% | $9.60B |
| #260 | C |
FEZ | State Street SPDR EURO STOXX 50 ETF | +14.23% | 0.29% | $4.35B |
| #296 | C |
GWX | State Street SPDR S&P International Small Cap ETF | +15.83% | 0.4% | $869M |
| #305 | C |
IEV | iShares Europe ETF | +15.00% | 0.6% | $1.63B |
| #348 | C |
EFG | iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF | +7.87% | 0.34% | $16.9B |