AFEMvsIEMGETF 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. iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) is part of the EM Blended Cap segment. AFEM's top 3 sector exposures are Technology, Finance and Industrials. In contrast, IEMG'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 0.09% for IEMG. AFEM is up 20.22% year-to-date (YTD) with +$17M in YTD flows. IEMG performs worse with 11.22% YTD performance, and +$13.15B in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of AFEM and IEMG below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
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AFEM vs IEMG 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 IEMG | -4.72%-8.76% | +5.59%-2.91% | +20.22%+11.22% | +21.57%+11.24% | +92.24%+74.89% | +69.14%+36.59% |
| Flows | AFEM IEMG | --$537M | -+$2.22B | +$17M+$13.15B | +$21M+$20.15B | +$22M+$33.66B | +$16M+$42.83B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | AFEM IEMG | +15.96%+19.87% | +16.67%+23.30% | +15.07%+17.77% | +16.04%+17.59% |
| Max drawdown | AFEM IEMG | -9.01%-11.67% | -11.02%-14.04% | -14.01%-16.06% | -30.61%-31.97% |
| Max drawdown duration | AFEM IEMG | 24d38d | 50d130d | 222d223d | 817d1050d |
Trading data
AFEM | IEMG | |
Last sale 10/30/2026 at 1:30 PM | $91.15 | $74.25 |
| Previous close 10/29/2026 | $93.07 | $76.36 |
| Consolidated volume 10/29/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of October 30, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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AFEM
is actively managed and doesn’t replicate an indexAFEM | IEMG | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 10/30/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
AFEM | IEMG | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $91.15 | $74.25 |
| 1D performance | -2.06% | -2.76% |
| AuM | $79.06 M | $145.91 B |
| E/R | 0.85% | 0.09% |
Characteristics
AFEM | IEMG | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Active | Passive |
| Provider | First Trust | iShares |
| Benchmark | - | MSCI Emerging Markets IMI Index |
| N° of holdings | 125 | 2736 |
| Asset class | - | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | June 14, 2016 | October 18, 2012 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
AFEM
Taiwan
32.03%
Republic of Korea
15.67%
China
11.67%
India
9.72%
Other
30.91%
IEMG
Taiwan
28.72%
Republic of Korea
20.58%
China
16.32%
India
11.79%
Other
22.59%
Sectors
AFEM
Technology
44.11%
Finance
17.65%
Other
38.24%
IEMG
Technology
43.99%
Finance
20.51%
Non-Energy Materi.
7.39%
Other
28.11%
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Diversification
AFEM
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
44.3%
IEMG
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
36.93%
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%
Banco de Chile
1.05%
The Federal Bank Ltd. (India)
1.05%
IEMG
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
13.71%
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
6.62%
SK hynix, Inc.
5.18%
Tencent Holdings Ltd.
2.41%
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
1.63%
MediaTek, Inc.
1.59%
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
0.83%
Delta Electronics, Inc.
0.83%
China Construction Bank Corp.
0.75%
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
0.69%
HDFC Bank Ltd.
0.60%
SK Square Co. Ltd.
0.55%
ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd.
0.53%
ICICI Bank Ltd.
0.51%
Reliance Industries Ltd.
0.51%
Frequently asked questions about AFEM and IEMG
How have the AFEM and IEMG ETFs performed in 2026?
As of October 29, 2026, AFEM is up 20.22% year-to-date (YTD), while IEMG has returned 11.22%. That puts AFEM better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: AFEM or IEMG?
Year-to-date, the AFEM ETF saw +$17M in flows, compared to +$13.15B for IEMG.
Which ETF is more volatile: AFEM or IEMG?
Over the past year, AFEM had a volatility of 16.67%, while IEMG experienced 23.3%.
Which ETF is bigger: AFEM or IEMG?
As of October 29, 2026, AFEM holds $79.06 M in assets under management (AUM), while IEMG manages $145.91 B.
What sectors do the AFEM and IEMG ETFs invest in?
AFEM leans toward sectors like Technology and Finance. Meanwhile, IEMG focuses on Technology, Finance and Non-Energy Materials.
What are the top holdings of the AFEM ETF and IEMG ETF?
AFEM top holdings include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and SK hynix, Inc.. IEMG 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 IEMG?
AFEM holds 125 securities with 44.3% of its assets in the top 15. IEMG has 2812 securities and a top 15 weight of 36.93%.
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