EZA — iShares MSCI South Africa ETF
Single Country - Emerging Ranked #390 of 458 tracked ETFs · Issued by iShares
EZA Price Performance — Growth of $10,000
Value of a $10,000 investment in EZA 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.
EZA Drawdown
The "underwater" chart: EZA'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 EZA?
See what a lump sum in EZA 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 South Africa ETF (EZA) is an iShares-managed fund tracking the Single Country - Emerging category, where it holds 12th place among 22 peers. With $474 million in assets, the fund carries a D grade and a 0.59% expense ratio that matches the category median. Its income profile is distinct, offering a 7.99% dividend yield that significantly exceeds the 2.68% category median. The portfolio is concentrated, with the top 10 holdings representing 66.2% of assets and AngloGold Ashanti PLC comprising the largest single position at 13.8%.
Price action shows the ETF trading at $63.14, which sits at the lower end of its 52-week range. Short-term returns have been negative, with one-month and year-to-date figures of -4.19% and -7.03% respectively. This contrasts with a strong three-year record of +99.87% and a one-year gain of +7.04%, though the latter trails the category median of +7.84%. The fund’s rating was downgraded from C to D on 2026-09-29, and its performance history is limited to three years.
The fund exhibits Very High volatility at 32.68% annualized, accompanied by a beta of 1.07 indicating greater sensitivity to market movements. A Sharpe ratio of 0.06 suggests minimal risk-adjusted return relative to the high volatility, while the maximum drawdown of -24.32% highlights significant recent losses. Liquidity is moderate, with an average daily volume of 153,089 shares. These metrics collectively describe a fund that has experienced substantial price swings and limited compensation for the risk taken.
AI-generated summary based on the data on this page.
EZA Top Holdings
| # | Holding | % of Net Assets | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI PLC | 13.76% | $80M |
| 2 | Gold Fields Limited | 10.00% | $58M |
| 3 | NASPERS LIMITED | 9.32% | $54M |
| 4 | FIRSTRAND LIMITED | 7.11% | $41M |
| 5 | STANDARD BANK GROUP LIMITED | 6.14% | $36M |
| 6 | CAPITEC LIMITED | 4.67% | $27M |
| 7 | VALTERRA PLATINUM LIMITED | 4.48% | $26M |
| 8 | MTN GROUP LIMITED | 3.94% | $23M |
| 9 | IMPALA PLATINUM HOLDINGS LIMITED | 3.47% | $20M |
| 10 | ABSA GROUP LIMITED | 3.30% | $19M |
Holdings as of 2026-08-31 per the fund's most recent SEC N-PORT-P filing. Top 10 holdings make up 66.2% 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 EZA's holdings overlap with other ETFs you own or are considering, check the Stock Overlap tool.
Which Funds Overlap With EZA
Holding two funds that own the same companies adds cost and complexity without adding much diversification. These tracked ETFs share the most names with EZA's top 10 — GDX overlaps most, holding 2 of the same companies as EZA's top 10 (23.8% of EZA's assets).
| ETF | Name | Shared Companies | EZA Weight | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GDX | VanEck Gold Miners ETF | 2 | 23.8% | ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI PLC, Gold Fields Limited |
| RING | iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | 2 | 23.8% | ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI PLC, Gold Fields Limited |
| IYM | iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF | 1 | 13.8% | ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI PLC |
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: 4.96% (as of 2026-10-22) — 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): 19.03 (as of 2026-10-22) — 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: 3.75% (as of 2026-09-01) — The Federal Reserve’s target policy rate, which anchors short-term borrowing costs across the economy.
What EZA's Fees Cost You
EZA charges an expense ratio of 0.59% 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.
EZA Dividend Income Estimator
EZA currently yields 7.99%. 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.
EZA Liquidity, Domicile & Tax Treatment
Liquidity: Average daily volume is 153K/day. Higher volume and a larger fund generally mean lower round-trip trading costs. AUM of $474M provides ample scale, supporting tight spreads and issuer commitment to keep the fund open.
Domicile & tax treatment: EZA 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.
EZA Performance History
| Period | Return |
|---|---|
| 1-Day | -1.13% |
| 1-Week | -3.28% |
| 1-Month | -4.19% |
| 3-Month | +1.94% |
| 6-Month | -7.97% |
| YTD | -7.03% |
| 1-Year | +7.04% |
| 3-Year | +99.87% |
How EZA Compares to Other Single Country - Emerging ETFs
| Rank | Grade | Ticker | Name | 1-Year | Exp. Ratio | AUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #69 | B |
EWT | iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF | +68.72% | 0.59% | $12.3B |
| #92 | B |
EPOL | iShares MSCI Poland ETF | +33.90% | 0.59% | $834M |
| #96 | B |
FLKR | Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF | +75.07% | 0.09% | $1.79B |
| #116 | B |
EWY | iShares MSCI South Korea ETF | +72.90% | 0.59% | $26.2B |
| #153 | B |
EPU | iShares MSCI Peru ETF | +41.56% | 0.59% | $548M |
| #168 | B |
EWZ | iShares MSCI Brazil ETF | +48.19% | 0.59% | $8.64B |
| #191 | B |
GREK | Global X MSCI Greece ETF | +25.16% | 0.56% | $348M |
| #320 | C |
EWW | iShares MSCI Mexico ETF | +18.81% | 0.5% | $1.49B |
| #332 | C |
THD | iShares MSCI Thailand ETF | +23.33% | 0.59% | $420M |
| #385 | D |
EWM | iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF | +8.63% | 0.5% | $288M |
| #389 | D |
ECH | iShares MSCI Chile ETF | +9.65% | 0.59% | $950M |
| #390 | D |
EZA | iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | +7.04% | 0.59% | $474M |
| #431 | D |
INDA | iShares MSCI India ETF | -15.97% | 0.61% | $5.83B |
| #432 | D |
FXI | iShares China Large-Cap ETF | -17.20% | 0.73% | $3.93B |
| #434 | D |
ASHR | Xtrackers Harvest CSI 300 China A-Shares ETF | -3.13% | 0.65% | $1.39B |
| #436 | D |
MCHI | iShares MSCI China ETF | -20.79% | 0.59% | $5.99B |
| #438 | F |
VNM | VanEck Vietnam ETF | -5.42% | 0.66% | $489M |
| #444 | F |
KSA | iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF | -14.54% | 0.75% | $588M |
| #447 | F |
GXC | State Street SPDR S&P China ETF | -17.69% | 0.59% | $457M |
| #450 | F |
INDY | iShares India 50 ETF | -17.02% | 0.65% | $498M |
| #453 | F |
KWEB | KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF | -37.79% | 0.69% | $4.50B |
| #456 | F |
EIDO | iShares MSCI Indonesia ETF | -39.05% | 0.59% | $417M |