AIA vs FLAX: Grades, Fees and Holdings Compared

iShares Asia 50 ETF

AIACNasdaq

Franklin FTSE Asia ex Japan ETF

FLAXBNYSE Arca

Overlap

52.0%by weight

Expense ratio

FLAX −0.31pt a year

AIA0.50%FLAX0.19%

Avg volume · 30D

AIA 41.1×the volume

AIA404KFLAX9.82K

5Y return · a year

AIA +5.1pt

AIA+12.2%FLAX+7.1%

AIA vs FLAX Performance

Nov 2, 2021 – Nov 2, 2026

+78.2%AIA+41.2%FLAX

Expense ratio: AIA 0.50%; FLAX 0.19%, better
Fund size: AIA $4.55B; FLAX $67M
1Y total return: AIA +30.5%, better; FLAX +13.9%
Yield (12M): AIA 1.69%; FLAX 2.20%, better
Holdings: AIA 60; FLAX 1648
Avg volume (30D): AIA 404K sh, better; FLAX 9.82K sh
NAV per share: AIA $126.91; FLAX $33.58
52W range

ETF.net Grade

Pillar letters and Scores for AIA, FLAX, with each pillar’s weight
Pillar	AIA	FLAX
Cost30% weight	F23	B57Higher
Mission25% weight	A81	A100Higher
Risk15% weight	D31	D35Higher
Tradability15% weight	B64Higher	F15
Holdings10% weight	D28	B59Higher
Durability5% weight	B64Higher	D32

Rank among Asia-Pacific Region funds

How we build Categories ›

Same Category. AIA and FLAX are both graded against the same 7 Asia-Pacific Region funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Asia-Pacific Region⁠

Category · 7 funds

See all 7 ›

FLAX ranks 3rd and AIA 7th of 7 funds in the Asia-Pacific Region Category.

Rank 1AVPLVanguard FTSE Pacific ETFScore 77
Rank 2AIPACiShares Core MSCI Pacific ETFScore 70
Rank 3BFLAXFranklin FTSE Asia ex Japan ETFScore 57
Rank 4BBBAXJPMorgan BetaBuilders Developed Asia Pacific ex-Japan ETFScore 55
Rank 6CAAXJiShares MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan ETFScore 52
Rank 7CAIAiShares Asia 50 ETFScore 47

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

AIACiShares Asia 50 ETF

FLAXBFranklin FTSE Asia ex Japan ETF

In short

AIA A 50-stock shortlist of Asia's largest companies, running since 2007. Where broad international funds spread across thousands of names, this one concentrates on the region's blue-chip giants in a single ticker.

FLAX One line item for Asia's markets with Japan left out: roughly 1,600 stocks at 0.19% a year, less than half the median fee among index-tracking peers. Broad, cheap, and thin to trade.

Stated mandate

AIA The fund seeks to track the investment results of an index made up of 50 of the largest Asian equities.

FLAX The Fund seeks investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the FTSE Asia ex Japan RIC Capped Index.

Why people hold it

AIA Concentration by design: about 50 of Asia's biggest listed companies, so the region's giants carry real weight instead of being diluted by thousands of smaller names.
Trading since 2007, so it has a long record through the financial crisis and multiple Asian market cycles, not a recent launch chasing a theme.
The mandate is plain to read: track the S&P Asia 50 Capped Index, whose capped construction limits how heavy any one holding can become.
A multi-billion-dollar iShares fund that sees steady daily trading, which generally makes building or exiting a position uncomplicated.

FLAX 0.19% a year against a 0.45% median for index-tracking peers. Less than half the going rate for the same passive job.
About 1,600 holdings across Asia ex Japan. The index is a RIC-capped version, which limits how large any single position can grow.
Plain passive mandate since 2018: match the FTSE Asia ex Japan RIC Capped Index before fees and expenses. No manager discretion, no style drift.

Worth knowing

AIA At 0.50% a year it runs well above the 0.28% median in its international-blend peer group, and far above broad options like VEU (0.04%) or IXUS (0.07%).
Fifty stocks in one region is a slice, not a global core. Single-country, currency and single-company swings land with more force here.
Income arrives on an annual or semiannual schedule, so it is not built around a steady monthly payout.

FLAX Thinly traded, so on any single trip in or out the bid-ask spread can cost more than the annual fee. Limit orders are the usual tool.
Cash comes annually or semiannually, not monthly. Income arrives in lumps.
One region, Japan excluded. This is a regional equity slice that tracks Asian markets, not a global core holding.

Full AIA profile⁠

Full FLAX profile⁠

AIA vs FLAX Holdings

How AIA and FLAX differ

Overlap by weight

52.0%

Shared holdings make up 98.8% of AIA and 52.0% of FLAX.

Level by level

Holdings52 in both52.0%
Countryby domicile81.3%
Sector11 Sectors83.3%
Asset classEquity100%

Sector

Sector weights in AIA and FLAX, widest gap first
Sector	More in AIAMore in FLAX	AIA	FLAX
Technology	AIA +12.6 points	58.9%	46.3%
Industrials	FLAX +4.7 points	3.0%	7.7%
Financials	AIA +3.4 points	20.5%	17.1%
Health Care	FLAX +2.7 points	0.6%	3.3%
Consumer Staples	FLAX +2.2 points	0.0%	2.2%
Materials	FLAX +2.1 points	1.6%	3.7%
Energy	FLAX +1.9 points	0.5%	2.4%
Utilities	FLAX +1.8 points	0.0%	1.8%
Real Estate	FLAX +1.3 points	0.4%	1.7%
Communication	AIA +0.8 points	6.3%	5.5%
Consumer Discretionary	Same weight	8.2%	8.2%

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Country weights in AIA and FLAX, widest gap first
Country	More in AIAMore in FLAX	AIA	FLAX
India	FLAX +14.0 points	0.0%	14.0%
Taiwan	AIA +9.0 points	39.6%	30.6%
South Korea	AIA +6.5 points	27.8%	21.3%
Singapore	AIA +2.2 points	5.7%	3.5%
Malaysia	FLAX +1.4 points	0.0%	1.4%
Thailand	FLAX +1.4 points	0.0%	1.4%
Hong Kong	AIA +0.9 points	4.5%	3.6%
United States	FLAX +0.6 points	0.0%	0.6%
Other countries (6)	FLAX +1.4 points	22.4%	23.8%

Outside the US: AIA 10% developed, 90% emerging. FLAX 7% developed, 93% emerging.

Concentration

Weight in the 10 largest Holdings

AIA64.9%
FLAX38.2%

Securities held

AIA53
FLAX1,646

Asset class

AIA: Equity
FLAX: Equity

Holdings

Only in AIA1
In both52
Only in FLAX1,594

Only in AIA

1 security, 0.7% of AIA by weight

Byd H0.67%

Only in FLAX

1,594 securities, 48.1% of FLAX by weight

Hdfc Bank Limited0.74%
Reliance Industries Limit0.73%
Icici Bank Ltd0.69%
Bharti Airtel Ltd0.57%
Pdd Holdings Inc0.54%
Samsung Electro-Mechanics0.44%
Infosys Ltd0.39%
Unimicron Technology Corp0.35%
Byd Co Ltd-H0.29%
Asia Vital Components0.27%
Axis Bank Ltd0.26%
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd0.25%
Larsen & Toubro Ltd0.24%
Bajaj Finance Ltd0.24%
Tata Consultancy Svcs Ltd0.24%
Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd0.24%
Quanta Computer Inc0.23%
Accton Technology Corp0.22%
Yageo Corporation0.22%
Samsung Sdi Co Ltd0.21%
E.sun Financial Holding C0.21%
Hana Financial Group0.21%
Boc Hong Kong Holdings Lt0.20%
Celltrion Inc0.19%
Wuxi Biologics Cayman Inc0.19%
Mega Financial Holding Co0.18%
Sun Pharmaceutical Indus0.18%
Chroma Ate Inc0.18%
Lenovo Group Ltd0.18%
Global Unichip Corp0.17%
Agricultural Bank of Chin0.17%
Samsung C&T Corp0.17%
Chunghwa Telecom Co Ltd0.17%
State Bank of India0.17%
Asustek Computer Inc0.17%
Malayan Banking Bhd0.17%
Kweichow Moutai Co Ltd-A0.17%
Sinopac Financial Holding0.16%
China Shenhua Energy Co-H0.16%
Kgi Financial Holding Co0.16%
Nanya Technology Corp0.16%
Hindustan Unilever Ltd0.16%
Public Bank Berhad0.15%
Titan Co Ltd0.15%
Delta Electronics Thai-Nv0.15%
Wistron Corp0.15%
Innovent Biologics Inc0.15%
Clp Holdings Ltd0.15%
Wiwynn Corp0.15%
Eternal Ltd0.15%

Weight gaps

All 52 Holdings in both funds, largest gap first.

Holding weights in AIA and FLAX, widest gap first
Holding	More in AIAMore in FLAX	AIA	FLAX
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing	AIA +7.51 points	23.20%	15.69%
Samsung Electronics Ltd	AIA +6.88 points	13.79%	6.91%
Mediatek	AIA +2.47 points	4.03%	1.56%
Alibaba Group Holding	AIA +2.15 points	4.23%	2.08%
China Construction Bank Corp H	AIA +1.67 points	2.70%	1.03%
Tencent Holdings	AIA +1.49 points	4.19%	2.70%
Dbs Group Holdings Ltd	AIA +1.43 points	2.45%	1.02%
Aia Group	AIA +1.20 points	2.08%	0.88%
Oversea-Chinese Banking	AIA +1.17 points	1.82%	0.65%
Hon Hai Precision Industry	AIA +1.11 points	1.92%	0.81%
Industrial and Commercial Bank of	AIA +0.96 points	1.68%	0.72%
Samsung Electronics Non Voting Pre	AIA +0.95 points	1.88%	0.93%
Delta Electronics	AIA +0.94 points	1.64%	0.70%
Sk Hynix	AIA +0.91 points	6.32%	5.41%
Bank of China Ltd H	AIA +0.90 points	1.37%	0.47%
Ase Technology Holding	AIA +0.86 points	1.47%	0.61%
Sk Square	AIA +0.73 points	1.26%	0.53%
Xiaomi	AIA +0.71 points	1.22%	0.51%
Nan Ya Plastics Corp	AIA +0.70 points	1.10%	0.40%
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing	AIA +0.63 points	1.13%	0.50%
Meituan	AIA +0.62 points	1.07%	0.45%
United Overseas Bank	AIA +0.61 points	0.96%	0.35%
Elite Material	AIA +0.60 points	0.97%	0.37%
Ctbc Financial Holding	AIA +0.60 points	0.96%	0.36%
Fubon Financial Holding	AIA +0.57 points	0.93%	0.36%
Ping An Insurance (Group) Co of Ch	AIA +0.53 points	0.87%	0.34%
United Micro Electronics Corp	AIA +0.48 points	0.84%	0.36%
Netease	AIA +0.47 points	0.83%	0.36%
Kb Financial Group	AIA +0.45 points	0.80%	0.35%
Cathay Financial Holding	AIA +0.43 points	0.73%	0.30%
Yuanta Financial Holding	AIA +0.42 points	0.65%	0.23%
Ts Financial Holding	AIA +0.41 points	0.68%	0.27%
Jd.com Class A	AIA +0.39 points	0.67%	0.28%
Shinhan Financial Group	AIA +0.37 points	0.62%	0.25%
Beone Medicines AG	AIA +0.36 points	0.57%	0.21%
Petrochina H	AIA +0.36 points	0.61%	0.25%
Hyundai Motor	AIA +0.34 points	0.59%	0.25%
Singapore Telecommunications Ltd	AIA +0.33 points	0.54%	0.21%
Techtronic Industries	AIA +0.30 points	0.51%	0.21%
Trip.com Group	AIA +0.29 points	0.50%	0.21%
Ck Hutchison Holdings	AIA +0.28 points	0.48%	0.20%
Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd	AIA +0.28 points	0.44%	0.16%
China Life Insurance Ltd H	AIA +0.27 points	0.47%	0.20%
Baidu	AIA +0.26 points	0.44%	0.18%
Zijin Mining Group Ltd H	AIA +0.25 points	0.44%	0.19%
Naver	AIA +0.25 points	0.42%	0.17%
China Merchants Bank H	AIA +0.25 points	0.48%	0.23%
Hanwha Aerospace Ltd	AIA +0.22 points	0.37%	0.15%
Doosan Enerbility Ltd	AIA +0.22 points	0.38%	0.16%
Kia Corporation	AIA +0.20 points	0.35%	0.15%
Hyundai Motor S2 Pref	AIA +0.05 points	0.08%	0.03%
Hyundai Motor S1 Pref	AIA +0.03 points	0.05%	0.02%

All 53 AIA holdings⁠All 1,581 FLAX 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.

AIA vs FLAX Cost

Overpaying AIA vs FLAX

$6,027

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

AIA 0.50%
$9,979
FLAX 0.19%
$3,952

Amount$10,000

Years30 years

Cost over time

AIA 0.50%
FLAX 0.19%
Overpaying

Year by year

Year	AIA	FLAX	Overpaying
10	$900	$347	$553
20	$3,460	$1,351	$2,109
30	$9,979	$3,952	$6,027

Expense ratio

0.50%AIA
0.19%FLAX, cheaper

FLAX0.19%AIA0.50%

0.07%0.72%

Middle half of Asia-Pacific Region funds
Median 0.19%

FLAX 3rd cheapest of 7 funds

AIA 6th cheapest of 7 funds

AIA vs FLAX Dividends

Last 12 months to Nov 2, 2026

Yield (12M): AIA 1.69%; FLAX 2.20%, better
Payout (12M): AIA $2.14; FLAX $0.74
Last payment: AIA $0.51; FLAX $0.20
Ex-dividend: AIA Jun 15, 2026; FLAX Jun 26, 2026
Paid on: AIA Jun 18, 2026; FLAX Jul 6, 2026
Frequency: AIA Twice a year; FLAX Twice a year

Distribution history

Per share, 2017 to 2026, same scale for both

AIATwice a year · 19 paymentsAll AIA payments⁠

FLAXTwice a year · 17 paymentsAll FLAX payments⁠

AIA vs FLAX Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

AIA
FLAX

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years: AIA 21.5%FLAX 16.5%, better
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years: AIA 1.36, betterFLAX 1.03
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years: AIA −43.9%FLAX −34.6%, better
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years: AIA 1.14FLAX 1.15; Market = 1

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