ETF Comparison

IEFA vs IXUS: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF and iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Data updated July 4, 2026

iShares

ETFs481

Total AUM$4451B

ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.

iShares is one of the largest ETF providers globally, known for offering a broad, diversified lineup of exchange-traded funds across multiple asset classes and investment strategies. The company operates 215 funds spanning 15 distinct families, including popular offerings in dividend income, covered call strategies, bonds, equities, ESG-focused investments, and factor-based approaches, with widely-held tickers like AGG (bond), ACWI (global equity), and AOA (allocation). iShares is characterized by its comprehensive fund ecosystem that serves both core portfolio holdings and specialized investment strategies, making it a prominent player for investors seeking both traditional and alternative income-generating ETF solutions.

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Side-by-side snapshot

	IEFA	IXUS
Full name	iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF	iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF
Issuer	iShares	iShares
Last Close	$97.30 as of July 4, 2026	$94.72 as of July 4, 2026
Distribution yield	3.24%	2.60%
Distribution Safety Score	75	79
Expense ratio	0.07%	0.07%
AUM	$182B	$56.6B
Distribution frequency	Semi-Annual	Semi-Annual
Underlying index	MSCI EAFE IMI Index	MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index
Objective	Provide exposure to the fund's underlying index or strategy per issuer materials.	Provide exposure to the fund's underlying index or strategy per issuer materials.
Asset class	Equity	Equity
Inception date	10/18/2012	10/18/2012
Beta	0.89	0.93
Last dividend	$1.5780	$1.2330
Ex-dividend date	12/15/2026	12/15/2026

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Visual comparison

Key metrics

Projected income on $10K

Projections assume the current yield and share price remain constant. Actual results will vary.

Total returns

IEFA has lagged IXUS over the trailing twelve months, posting a 20.99% total return against 26.32%. The lead holds up over 10 years too: IXUS has compounded at 9.83% a year, against 9.73% for IEFA. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.

Symbol	YTD	1Y	3Y	5Y	10Y	Since Oct 2012	Volatility	Sharpe	Sortino	Max drawdown
IEFA	9.46%	20.99%	16.79%	8.84%	9.73%	8.35%	15.3%	0.73	1.06	-13.8%
IXUS	11.76%	26.32%	18.39%	8.53%	9.83%	7.84%	15.4%	0.81	1.17	-13.7%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date, split-adjusted, as of July 2, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative; longer windows are annualized. “Since Oct 2012” measures every fund from October 22, 2012 — the youngest fund's first trading day — so all funds share one comparison window. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of daily total returns over the trailing 3 years. Sharpe and Sortino divide the annualized return in excess of the risk-free rate by, respectively, that volatility and the downside deviation (both over the trailing 3 years) — higher is better. Max drawdown is the largest peak-to-trough total-return decline over the same window — shallower is better.

Quick verdict

IEFA (iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF) and IXUS (iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF) are both semi-annual-pay dividend ETFs, but they take different approaches.

IEFA offers the higher yield at 3.24% vs 2.60% for IXUS. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

They track different benchmarks: IEFA is linked to MSCI EAFE IMI Index while IXUS tracks MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index, which means their performance drivers differ.

IEFA is the larger fund by assets ($182B), which generally means tighter spreads and better liquidity.

Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, IEFA would generate roughly $27.00/month, while IXUS would produce $21.67/month, at current distribution rates. Both pay semi-annual distributions.

IEFA yield3.24%

IXUS yield2.60%

Monthly diff on $10K$5.33

Cost & efficiency

Over 10 years on $10,000, IEFA would cost approximately $70 in fees vs $70 for IXUS (simplified, not compounded). Both charge the same expense ratio.

IEFA ER0.07%

IXUS ER0.07%

Strategy & risk

IEFA tracks MSCI EAFE IMI Index with an index approach, while IXUS tracks MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index with an index approach. Beta is 0.89 for IEFA and 0.93 for IXUS, indicating IEFA is less volatile relative to the market.

IEFA beta0.89

IXUS beta0.93

Fund details

IEFA is managed by iShares (launched 10/18/2012) with $182B in assets. IXUS is managed by iShares (launched 10/18/2012) with $56.6B in assets.

IEFA AUM$182B

IXUS AUM$56.6B

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Frequently asked questions

Is IEFA or IXUS better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. IEFA currently offers the higher distribution yield, which means more income per dollar invested. However, a lower-yield fund may offer better total return or lower volatility. Consider your time horizon and risk tolerance.

What is the difference between IEFA and IXUS?

IEFA (iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF) tracks MSCI EAFE IMI Index with an index approach, while IXUS (iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF) tracks MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index with an index approach. They are issued by iShares and iShares respectively.

Can I hold both IEFA and IXUS?

Yes. Many income investors hold both to diversify across different strategies and underlying indexes. This can reduce concentration risk while maintaining a strong income stream.

Which has lower fees, IEFA or IXUS?

IEFA and IXUS both charge the same expense ratio of 0.07%, so neither is cheaper on fees — pick based on yield, strategy, or underlying index instead.

How much income does $10,000 in IEFA vs IXUS generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in IEFA would generate roughly $27.00 per month ($324.00 annually). The same in IXUS would produce about $21.67 per month ($260.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, IEFA or IXUS?

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IEFA vs IXUS — at a glance

Generated July 2026 from current fund data.

Overview

IEFA and IXUS are both iShares broad international equity ETFs with identical expense ratios (0.07%) and semi-annual distributions, but they track different geographies. IEFA holds developed markets only (MSCI EAFE: Europe, Australasia, Far East), while IXUS includes developed and emerging markets ex-USA (MSCI ACWI ex USA). The choice between them hinges on whether you want pure developed-market international exposure or a blend that adds exposure to faster-growing emerging economies.

How they differ

The core distinction is geographic scope: IEFA excludes emerging markets entirely, whereas IXUS includes them as a material but minority component. This makes IXUS structurally more diversified across income levels but also more volatile — its beta of 0.93 sits higher than IEFA's 0.89, reflecting emerging-market sensitivity. IEFA offers a higher distribution rate at 3.24% versus IXUS's 2.60%, partly because developed markets tend to pay higher dividends than emerging peers. IEFA also commands nearly 3.3× the assets ($182B vs. $56.6B), translating to tighter bid-ask spreads and deeper trading liquidity. Both charge the same 0.07% expense ratio and distribute semi-annually, so the fee structure is neutral.

Who each is best for

IEFA: Fits investors seeking a pure developed-market international allocation without emerging-market volatility — particularly those who already own a separate dedicated emerging-markets fund or who prefer the higher dividend yield from Japan, Europe, and Australia.

IXUS: Designed for investors building a complete international portfolio in a single holding and willing to accept emerging-market beta in exchange for broader geographic diversification and long-term growth exposure across income tiers.

Key risks to know

Developed-market concentration (IEFA): Excluding emerging markets leaves IEFA overweight to mature economies with lower structural growth rates and slower earnings expansion, which may drag long-term returns relative to a globally diversified peer.

Emerging-market currency and political risk (IXUS): The emerging-market sleeve introduces currency volatility and potential policy shifts in countries with less stable regulatory environments, explaining the higher beta and lower current yield.

Valuation cycles: Both funds track market-cap-weighted indexes that can become overweighted to expensive sectors or countries during bull markets in their regions, creating mean-reversion risk if valuations contract.

Dividend sustainability: IEFA's higher 3.24% yield relies on dividend-paying stocks in mature markets; a prolonged period of dividend cuts (as occurred in 2020) would compress distributions sharply.

Bottom line

If you want maximum current income and developed-market simplicity, IEFA's higher yield and lower volatility stand out; if you prefer a single fund capturing all non-US markets regardless of development stage, IXUS's broader exposure warrants the trade-off of lower yield and slightly higher beta. Neither is objectively "better"—it depends on whether your portfolio already contains emerging-market holdings and what yield target you're chasing.

AI-generated analysis for educational purposes only. Verify important details independently; past performance does not guarantee future results.