AFEMvsDFAEETF Comparison
ETF 1
AFEM
First Trust Active Factor Emerging Markets ETF
This fund is part of
Uncategorized Equities
-2.05%
VS
First Trust Active Factor Emerging Markets ETF (AFEM) belongs to the Uncategorized Equities segment. Dimensional Emerging Core Equity Market ETF (DFAE) is part of the EM Blended Cap segment. AFEM's top 3 sector exposures are Technology, Finance and Industrials. In contrast, DFAE's top sector exposures are Technology, Finance and Non-Energy Materials. AFEM is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.85%, versus 0.29% for DFAE. AFEM is up 20.22% year-to-date (YTD) with +$17M in YTD flows. DFAE performs worse with 14.75% YTD performance, and +$1.10B in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of AFEM and DFAE below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
Find out how industry players manage ETF portfolios. Discover our library of Model portfolios
AFEM vs DFAE performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 10/29/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | AFEM DFAE | -4.72%-6.13% | +5.59%+3.03% | +20.22%+14.75% | +21.57%+14.27% | +92.24%+80.36% | +69.14%+50.97% |
| Flows | AFEM DFAE | -- | -+$303M | +$17M+$1.10B | +$21M+$1.29B | +$22M+$3.56B | +$16M+$6.35B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | AFEM DFAE | +15.96%+19.28% | +16.67%+21.53% | +15.07%+16.94% | +16.04%+16.56% |
| Max drawdown | AFEM DFAE | -9.01%-10.12% | -11.02%-12.75% | -14.01%-16.33% | -30.61%-28.49% |
| Max drawdown duration | AFEM DFAE | 24d50d | 50d129d | 222d245d | 817d905d |
Trading data
AFEM | DFAE | |
Last sale 10/30/2026 at 1:30 PM | $91.15 | $35.99 |
| Previous close 10/29/2026 | $93.07 | $36.94 |
| Consolidated volume 10/29/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Advertisement
Main metrics
Last update 10/30/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
AFEM | DFAE | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $91.15 | $35.99 |
| 1D performance | -2.06% | -2.57% |
| AuM | $79.06 M | $9.42 B |
| E/R | 0.85% | 0.29% |
Characteristics
AFEM | DFAE | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Active | Active |
| Provider | First Trust | Dimensional |
| Benchmark | - | - |
| N° of holdings | 125 | 6042 |
| Asset class | - | - |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | June 14, 2016 | February 12, 2020 |
| ESG | No | No |
Advertisement
Exposure
Countries
AFEM
Taiwan
32.03%
Republic of Korea
15.67%
China
11.67%
India
9.72%
Other
30.91%
DFAE
Taiwan
29.77%
Republic of Korea
19.73%
China
17.02%
India
12%
Other
21.47%
Sectors
AFEM
Technology
44.11%
Finance
17.65%
Other
38.24%
DFAE
Technology
43.42%
Finance
19%
Non-Energy Materi.
8.37%
Industrials
7.64%
Other
21.58%
Advertisement
Diversification
AFEM
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
44.3%
DFAE
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
33.65%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of September 30, 2026
AFEM
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
14.06%
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
8.04%
SK hynix, Inc.
3.88%
Unimicron Technology Corp.
2.24%
Lenovo Group Ltd.
1.85%
Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd.
1.83%
Jentech Precision Industrial Co. Ltd.
1.74%
MediaTek, Inc.
1.65%
Bank of Communications Co., Ltd.
1.61%
Kia Corp.
1.51%
Kasikornbank Public Co. Ltd.
1.44%
International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
1.26%
Nan Ya Printed Circuit Board Corp
1.09%
The Federal Bank Ltd. (India)
1.05%
Banco de Chile
1.05%
DFAE
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
13.42%
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
5.53%
SK hynix, Inc.
5.01%
Tencent Holdings Ltd.
2.23%
MediaTek, Inc.
1.36%
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
1.04%
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
0.79%
China Construction Bank Corp.
0.78%
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
0.77%
Delta Electronics, Inc.
0.69%
Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd.
0.45%
Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
0.44%
ICICI Bank Ltd.
0.41%
Bharti Airtel Ltd.
0.38%
Ping An Insurance (Group) Co. of China Ltd.
0.37%
Frequently asked questions about AFEM and DFAE
How have the AFEM and DFAE ETFs performed in 2026?
As of October 29, 2026, AFEM is up 20.22% year-to-date (YTD), while DFAE has returned 14.75%. That puts AFEM better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: AFEM or DFAE?
Year-to-date, the AFEM ETF saw +$17M in flows, compared to +$1.10B for DFAE.
Which ETF is more volatile: AFEM or DFAE?
Over the past year, AFEM had a volatility of 16.67%, while DFAE experienced 21.53%.
Which ETF is bigger: AFEM or DFAE?
As of October 29, 2026, AFEM holds $79.06 M in assets under management (AUM), while DFAE manages $9.42 B.
What sectors do the AFEM and DFAE ETFs invest in?
AFEM leans toward sectors like Technology and Finance. Meanwhile, DFAE focuses on Technology, Finance and Non-Energy Materials.
What are the top holdings of the AFEM ETF and DFAE ETF?
AFEM top holdings include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and SK hynix, Inc.. DFAE holds in its top three: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and SK hynix, Inc..
Which ETF is more diversified: AFEM or DFAE?
AFEM holds 125 securities with 44.3% of its assets in the top 15. DFAE has 6185 securities and a top 15 weight of 33.65%.
Advertisement
Advertisement
