ACWX vs IXUS: Grades, Fees and Holdings Compared

iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF

ACWXBNasdaq

iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF

IXUSANasdaq

Overlap

86.3%by weight

Expense ratio

IXUS −0.25pt a year

ACWX0.32%IXUS0.07%

Avg volume · 30D

ACWX 1.5×the volume

ACWX2.98MIXUS2M

10Y return · a year

IXUS +0.2pt

ACWX+8.9%IXUS+9.1%

ACWX vs IXUS Performance

Oct 29, 2021 – Oct 30, 2026

+48.3%ACWX+47.5%IXUS

Expense ratio: ACWX 0.32%; IXUS 0.07%, better
Fund size: ACWX $17.7B; IXUS $56.8B
1Y total return: ACWX +13.6%, better; IXUS +13.5%
Yield (12M): ACWX 2.59%; IXUS 3.04%, better
Holdings: ACWX 1895; IXUS 4596
Avg volume (30D): ACWX 2.98M sh, better; IXUS 2M sh
NAV per share: ACWX $73.27; IXUS $92.10
52W range

ETF.net Grade

Pillar letters and Scores for ACWX, IXUS, with each pillar’s weight
Pillar	ACWX	IXUS
Cost30% weight	F23	A70Higher
Mission25% weight	A100	A100
Risk15% weight	B55	B55
Tradability15% weight	A73	A78Higher
Holdings10% weight	C46	A76Higher
Durability5% weight	B62	B67Higher

Rank among Total International Market funds

How we build Categories ›

Same Category. ACWX and IXUS are both graded against the same 8 Total International Market funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Total International Market⁠

Category · 8 funds

See all 8 ›

IXUS ranks 3rd and ACWX 5th of 8 funds in the Total International Market Category.

Rank 1AVXUSVanguard Total International Stock ETFScore 80
Rank 2AVEUVanguard FTSE All-World ex-US ETFScore 79
Rank 3AIXUSiShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETFScore 76
Rank 4BDFAXDimensional World ex U.S. Core Equity 2 ETFScore 64
Rank 5BACWXiShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETFScore 58
Rank 5BCWIState Street SPDR MSCI ACWI ex-US ETFScore 58

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

ACWXBiShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF

IXUSAiShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF

In short

ACWX One ticker for everything outside America: roughly 1,900 large and mid-cap stocks across developed and emerging markets, running since 2008. The convenience is real, and so is the price tag next to its cheaper index cousins.

IXUS One ticker for the stock market outside the US: developed and emerging, mega caps down to small caps, roughly 4,300 stocks, for 0.07% a year. The whole rest of the world in a single line item.

Stated mandate

ACWX The Fund seeks to track an index of large- and mid-capitalization non-U.S. equities. Its index covers developed and emerging markets excluding the United States, and the Fund uses representative sampling while generally investing at least 80% in index components or substantially identical instruments.

IXUS The Fund seeks to track an index of large-, mid-, and small-capitalization non-U.S. equities. It uses an indexing approach and generally invests at least 80% of assets in the Underlying Index’s component securities or substantially identical investments.

Why people hold it

ACWX Owns the world minus the US in a single trade: developed and emerging markets, large and mid caps, roughly 1,900 stocks.
Trading since 2008 and now a multi-billion-dollar fund that changes hands actively, which matters when you want in or out without friction.
No style drift. It keeps at least 80% in index components and stays a plain vanilla ex-US index fund, one of the cleaner implementations in its peer group.ishares.com

IXUS Seven basis points a year (0.07%), against a peer-group median near 0.28%. Global diversification priced close to a rounding error.
Tracks the MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI: non-US developed and emerging markets, large, mid and small caps, roughly 4,300 stocks, with at least 80% of assets in index components.ishares.com
Running since 2012, a multi-billion-dollar fund that trades actively, and one of the strongest implementations in its peer group.

Worth knowing

ACWX 0.32% a year sits above the peer median of 0.28%, and well above iShares' own IXUS (0.07%) or VEU (0.04%), which cover similar ground.
Representative sampling means it holds a slice of the index rather than every name, so results can diverge somewhat from the benchmark.ishares.com
Payouts land once or twice a year rather than quarterly, and the basket mixes emerging markets in with developed ones.

IXUS Cheaper tickets exist in the aisle: VEU charges 0.04%. It follows a FTSE index rather than MSCI, so the holdings are not the same basket.
Small caps and emerging markets ride rougher than developed large caps, and everything inside is priced in foreign currencies.
Distributions land annually or semiannually rather than quarterly, so income shows up in lumps.

Full ACWX profile⁠

Full IXUS profile⁠

ACWX vs IXUS Holdings

How ACWX and IXUS differ

Overlap by weight

86.3%

Shared holdings make up 100% of ACWX and 86.9% of IXUS.

Level by level

Holdings1,817 in both86.3%
Countryby domicile96.5%
Sector11 Sectors97.0%
Asset classEquity100%

Sector

Sector weights in ACWX and IXUS, widest gap first
Sector	More in ACWXMore in IXUS	ACWX	IXUS
Financials	ACWX +1.8 points	24.9%	23.1%
Real Estate	IXUS +0.9 points	1.2%	2.1%
Industrials	IXUS +0.9 points	13.7%	14.6%
Technology	ACWX +0.8 points	20.9%	20.1%
Materials	IXUS +0.8 points	6.6%	7.4%
Consumer Discretionary	IXUS +0.4 points	7.5%	7.9%
Health Care	ACWX +0.1 points	7.3%	7.2%
Energy	ACWX +0.1 points	5.2%	5.1%
Communication	ACWX +0.1 points	4.2%	4.1%
Utilities	Same weight	3.1%	3.1%
Consumer Staples	ACWX +0.1 points	5.3%	5.2%

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Country weights in ACWX and IXUS, widest gap first
Country	More in ACWXMore in IXUS	ACWX	IXUS
Japan	IXUS +1.3 points	15.8%	17.1%
Denmark	IXUS +1.1 points	0.0%	1.1%
China	ACWX +0.6 points	6.9%	6.3%
France	ACWX +0.5 points	6.1%	5.6%
Other countries (15)	ACWX +1.4 points	71.3%	69.9%

Outside the US: ACWX 70% developed, 30% emerging. IXUS 71% developed, 29% emerging.

Concentration

Weight in the 10 largest Holdings

ACWX15.7%
IXUS13.6%

Securities held

ACWX1,860
IXUS4,560

Asset class

ACWX: Equity
IXUS: Equity

Holdings

Only in ACWX43
In both1,817
Only in IXUS2,743

Only in ACWX

43 securities, 0.0% of ACWX by weight

Orient Securities A<0.01%
Everbright Securities Ltd A<0.01%
Zheshang Securities Ltd A<0.01%
Yealink Network Technology Ltd A<0.01%
Zhejiang Dahua Technology Ltd A<0.01%
Zhongtai Securities Ltd A<0.01%
Tsingtao Brewery Ltd A<0.01%
Sdic Capital Ltd A<0.01%
China Zheshang Bank Ltd A<0.01%
Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank Lt<0.01%
Bank of Chengdu Ltd A<0.01%
Caitong Securities Ltd A<0.01%
Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank Ltd<0.01%
Apt Medical Inc A<0.01%
Tongkun Group A<0.01%
The Peoples Insurance Company (Gro<0.01%
Guosen Securities A<0.01%
Shandong Hualu-Hengsheng Chemical<0.01%
Cnpc Capital Ltd A<0.01%
Industrial Securities Ltd A<0.01%
Maxscend Microelectronics Ltd A<0.01%
Wanxiang Qianchao Ltd A<0.01%
Jinko Solar Ltd A<0.01%
Shandong Nanshan Aluminium Ltd A<0.01%
Boc International (China) Ltd A<0.01%
Beijing Enlight Media Ltd A<0.01%
Tianshan Aluminum Group Ltd A<0.01%
China Greatwall Securities Ltd A<0.01%
Huafon Chemical Ltd A<0.01%
Anker Innovations Technology Ltd A<0.01%
Kingfa SCI&TECH Ltd A<0.01%
Zhejiang Chint Electrics Ltd A<0.01%
Shanghai Putailai New Energy Techn<0.01%
Baiyin Nonferrous Group Ltd A<0.01%
Gotion High-Tech Ltd A<0.01%
Yunnan Yuntianhua Ltd A<0.01%
Chongqing Qianli Technology A<0.01%
Shenzhen Salubris Pharmaceuticals<0.01%
Sunwoda Electronic Ltd A<0.01%
Ningbo Orient Wires & Cables Ltd A<0.01%
Cngr Advanced Material A<0.01%
Sinomine Resource Group Ltd A<0.01%
Inr/Usd0.00%

Only in IXUS

2,743 securities, 13.2% of IXUS by weight

Aritzia Subordinate Voting0.03%
Baycurrent Inc0.03%
Bluescope Steel0.02%
Taiwan Union Technology0.02%
Hudbay Minerals0.02%
Kinsus Interconnect Technology Cor0.02%
Imi PLC0.02%
Iamgold Corp0.02%
Nan Ya Printed Circuit Board Corp0.02%
Finning International Inc0.02%
Storebrand0.02%
Mebuki Financial Group Inc0.02%
Frontline PLC0.02%
Psp Swiss Property AG0.02%
Weir PLC0.02%
Subsea0.02%
Shizuoka Financial Group Inc0.02%
Accelleron N AG0.02%
Food & Life Companies0.02%
Als0.02%
Gaztransport & Technigaz SA0.02%
Powerchip Semiconductor Manufactur0.02%
Hiscox Ltd0.02%
Descartes Systems Group0.02%
Dpm Metals0.02%
Coforge0.02%
Ramsay Health Care0.02%
Balfour Beatty PLC0.02%
Capital Power Corp0.02%
Dcc Energy PLC0.02%
Stockland Stapled Units Ltd0.02%
Rohm0.02%
Charter Hall Group Stapled Units0.02%
Sandfire Resources0.02%
Games Workshop Group PLC0.02%
Lottomatica Group0.02%
Quebecor Class B0.02%
First Majestic Silver0.02%
South Bow0.02%
Orica0.02%
St Jamess Place PLC0.02%
Al Sydbank0.02%
Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings0.02%
SCOUT24 N0.02%
Icg PLC0.02%
Clal Insurance Enterprises Ltd0.02%
Samsung E&A Ltd0.02%
Ringkjobing Landbobank0.02%
Nice0.02%
Fukuoka Financial Group0.02%

Weight gaps

The 100 widest of 1,817 Holdings in both funds.

Holding weights in ACWX and IXUS, widest gap first
Holding	More in ACWXMore in IXUS	ACWX	IXUS
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing	ACWX +0.67 points	5.00%	4.33%
Samsung Electronics Ltd	ACWX +0.29 points	2.20%	1.91%
Asml Holding	ACWX +0.22 points	1.70%	1.48%
Sk Hynix	ACWX +0.22 points	1.64%	1.42%
Roche Ps Par AG	ACWX +0.13 points	0.96%	0.83%
Tencent Holdings	ACWX +0.13 points	0.85%	0.72%
ShellSHEL.L	ACWX +0.12 points	0.87%	0.75%
Novartis AG	ACWX +0.12 points	0.84%	0.72%
Royal Bank of Canada	ACWX +0.11 points	0.79%	0.68%
Astrazeneca PLCAZN.L	ACWX +0.11 points	0.79%	0.68%
Nestle SA	ACWX +0.10 points	0.74%	0.64%
Mitsubishi Ufj Financial Group	ACWX +0.10 points	0.66%	0.56%
Hsbc Holdings PLCHSBA.L	ACWX +0.09 points	0.81%	0.72%
Sap	ACWX +0.09 points	0.67%	0.58%
Alibaba Group Holding	ACWX +0.09 points	0.59%	0.50%
Siemens N AG	ACWX +0.08 points	0.60%	0.52%
Toyota Motor	ACWX +0.07 points	0.52%	0.45%
Bhp Group Ltd	ACWX +0.08 points	0.58%	0.50%
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group	ACWX +0.07 points	0.43%	0.36%
Toronto Dominion	ACWX +0.07 points	0.57%	0.50%
Commonwealth Bank of Australia	ACWX +0.08 points	0.55%	0.47%
Shopify Subordinate Voting Class A	ACWX +0.07 points	0.53%	0.46%
Totalenergies	ACWX +0.07 points	0.52%	0.45%
Sony Group	ACWX +0.07 points	0.42%	0.35%
Banco Santander	ACWX +0.06 points	0.45%	0.39%
Allianz	ACWX +0.06 points	0.51%	0.45%
Hitachi	ACWX +0.06 points	0.41%	0.35%
Ubs Group AG	ACWX +0.06 points	0.42%	0.36%
Mediatek	ACWX +0.06 points	0.48%	0.42%
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing	IXUS +0.05 points	0.07%	0.12%
Schneider Electric	ACWX +0.06 points	0.41%	0.35%
Advantest	ACWX +0.06 points	0.45%	0.39%
Recruit Holdings Ltd	ACWX +0.06 points	0.45%	0.39%
Aia Group	ACWX +0.06 points	0.30%	0.24%
Iberdrola	ACWX +0.06 points	0.43%	0.37%
Loreal SA	ACWX +0.05 points	0.33%	0.28%
Unilever PLCULVR.L	ACWX +0.05 points	0.39%	0.34%
Abb Ltd	ACWX +0.06 points	0.38%	0.32%
Tokyo Electron	ACWX +0.05 points	0.38%	0.33%
Lair Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour	ACWX +0.05 points	0.35%	0.30%
Rolls-Royce Holdings PLCRR.L	ACWX +0.05 points	0.38%	0.33%
Novo Nordisk Class B	ACWX +0.05 points	0.36%	0.31%
Dbs Group Holdings Ltd	ACWX +0.04 points	0.33%	0.29%
Samsung Electronics Non Voting Pre	ACWX +0.05 points	0.30%	0.25%
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria	ACWX +0.05 points	0.37%	0.32%
Bp PLCBP.L	ACWX +0.04 points	0.36%	0.32%
Airbus Group	ACWX +0.04 points	0.35%	0.31%
Bank of Montreal	ACWX +0.04 points	0.33%	0.29%
Tokio Marine Holdings	ACWX +0.04 points	0.28%	0.24%
British American TobaccoBATS.L	ACWX +0.04 points	0.34%	0.30%
Itochu	ACWX +0.04 points	0.24%	0.20%
China Construction Bank Corp H	ACWX +0.04 points	0.31%	0.27%
Industrial and Commercial Bank of	ACWX +0.04 points	0.20%	0.16%
Sanofi SA	ACWX +0.04 points	0.27%	0.23%
Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA	ACWX +0.05 points	0.31%	0.26%
Siemens Energy N AG	ACWX +0.04 points	0.31%	0.27%
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce	ACWX +0.04 points	0.30%	0.26%
Canadian Natural Resources Ltd	ACWX +0.05 points	0.33%	0.28%
Bank of Nova Scotia	ACWX +0.04 points	0.32%	0.28%
Hon Hai Precision Industry	ACWX +0.04 points	0.26%	0.22%
Safran SA	ACWX +0.04 points	0.30%	0.26%
Softbank Group Corp	ACWX +0.04 points	0.30%	0.26%
Enbridge	ACWX +0.04 points	0.30%	0.26%
Lvmh	ACWX +0.04 points	0.30%	0.26%
Unicredit	ACWX +0.04 points	0.31%	0.27%
Bnp Paribas SA	ACWX +0.04 points	0.27%	0.23%
Bank of China Ltd H	ACWX +0.04 points	0.17%	0.13%
Deutsche Telekom N AG	ACWX +0.04 points	0.28%	0.24%
Mitsubishi	ACWX +0.03 points	0.26%	0.23%
Suncor Energy Inc	ACWX +0.04 points	0.27%	0.23%
Kioxia Holdings	ACWX +0.04 points	0.28%	0.24%
GlaxosmithklineGSK.L	ACWX +0.04 points	0.28%	0.24%
National Grid PLCNG.L	ACWX +0.03 points	0.23%	0.20%
Rio TintoRIO.L	ACWX +0.04 points	0.25%	0.21%
Mizuho Financial Group	ACWX +0.03 points	0.31%	0.28%
Agnico Eagle Mines	ACWX +0.04 points	0.24%	0.20%
Spotify TechnologySPOT	ACWX +0.03 points	0.24%	0.21%
Ing Groep	ACWX +0.03 points	0.25%	0.22%
National Australia Bank	ACWX +0.03 points	0.25%	0.22%
Canadian Pacific Kansas City	ACWX +0.04 points	0.23%	0.19%
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries	ACWX +0.03 points	0.20%	0.17%
Enel	ACWX +0.03 points	0.22%	0.19%
Westpac Banking Corporation	ACWX +0.03 points	0.25%	0.22%
Mitsui	ACWX +0.03 points	0.21%	0.18%
Investor Class B	ACWX +0.03 points	0.21%	0.18%
Lonza Group AG	ACWX +0.03 points	0.16%	0.13%
Intesa Sanpaolo	ACWX +0.03 points	0.26%	0.23%
Anz Group Holdings Ltd	ACWX +0.03 points	0.24%	0.21%
Kddi	ACWX +0.03 points	0.16%	0.13%
Infineon Technologies AG	ACWX +0.03 points	0.21%	0.18%
Shin Etsu Chemical	ACWX +0.03 points	0.18%	0.15%
Zurich Insurance Group AG	ACWX +0.03 points	0.30%	0.27%
Muenchener Rueckversicherungs-Gese	ACWX +0.03 points	0.22%	0.19%
Xiaomi	ACWX +0.03 points	0.17%	0.14%
Barclays PLCBARC.L	ACWX +0.03 points	0.21%	0.18%
Anheuser-Busch Inbev SA	ACWX +0.03 points	0.20%	0.17%
Brookfield Class A	ACWX +0.03 points	0.22%	0.19%
Deutsche Boerse AG	ACWX +0.03 points	0.19%	0.16%
Bae Systems PLCBA.L	ACWX +0.02 points	0.22%	0.20%
Manulife Financial	ACWX +0.03 points	0.21%	0.18%

All 1,864 ACWX holdings⁠All 4,580 IXUS holdings⁠

How we measure overlap

Each holding counts at its smaller weight in the two funds, summed over the full Holdings. Sector, country and asset class use the same rule on each fund’s split. Cash, FX and derivative lines stay out of the counts. Two bond funds get no overlap figure.

ACWX vs IXUS Cost

Overpaying ACWX vs IXUS

$5,062

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

ACWX 0.32%
$6,542
IXUS 0.07%
$1,480

Amount$10,000

Years30 years

Cost over time

ACWX 0.32%
IXUS 0.07%
Overpaying

Year by year

Year	ACWX	IXUS	Overpaying
10	$580	$128	$452
20	$2,250	$503	$1,747
30	$6,542	$1,480	$5,062

Expense ratio

0.32%ACWX
0.07%IXUS, cheaper

IXUS0.07%ACWX0.32%

0.04%0.55%

Middle half of Total International Market funds
Median 0.23%

IXUS 3rd cheapest of 8 funds

ACWX 7th cheapest of 8 funds

ACWX vs IXUS Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026

Yield (12M): ACWX 2.59%; IXUS 3.04%, better
Payout (12M): ACWX $1.90; IXUS $2.80
Last payment: ACWX $0.85; IXUS $1.23
Ex-dividend: ACWX Jun 15, 2026; IXUS Jun 15, 2026
Paid on: ACWX Jun 18, 2026; IXUS Jun 18, 2026
Frequency: ACWX Twice a year; IXUS Twice a year

Distribution history

Per share, 2017 to 2026, same scale for both

ACWXTwice a year · 21 paymentsAll ACWX payments⁠

IXUSTwice a year · 20 paymentsAll IXUS payments⁠

ACWX vs IXUS Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

ACWX
IXUS

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years: ACWX 11.9%IXUS 11.9%
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years: ACWX 1.27IXUS 1.28, better
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years: ACWX −29.1%, betterIXUS −29.4%
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years: ACWX 0.84IXUS 0.92; Market = 1

ACWX and IXUS in the news

All news⁠

Best ETFs
Best international ETFs: one cheap fund, then the Korea choice
Updated Nov 2, 2026IXUS
First-Year Review
MFS Blended Research International Equity ETF turns one ahead of its index
Oct 22, 2026ACWX
New ETFs
Avantis Investors' Avantis U.S. Core Equity ETF AVUC overlaps a fund it already runs
Oct 16, 2026IXUS
New ETFs
Avantis lists an international stock ETF with Vanguard on top
Oct 5, 2026IXUS
Best ETFs
Vanguard's total international fund is the one-fund pick, and Korea splits the rest
Updated Oct 2, 2026IXUS

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ACWX vs IXUS

In short

Stated mandate

Why people hold it