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BFLX vs DFAW

iShares Flexible Equity Active ETF

BFLXANasdaq

Dimensional World Equity ETF

DFAWANYSE Arca

Overlap

Expense ratio

DFAW −0.17pt a year

BFLX0.40%DFAW0.23%

Avg volume · 30D

BFLX 11.4×the volume

BFLX1.12MDFAW98.6K

BFLX vs DFAW Performance

Jul 31, 2026 – Oct 30, 2026

−1.0%BFLX+0.3%DFAW

Jul 31, 2026 to Oct 30, 2026. BFLX −1.0%. DFAW +0.3%. Use the arrow keys to read each point.1%2%3%4%Jul 2026Sep 2026Oct 2026
Expense ratio
BFLX 0.40%
DFAW 0.23%, better
Fund size
BFLX $2.16B
DFAW $1.71B
1Y total return
BFLX No data
DFAW +15.7%
Yield (12M)
BFLX No data
DFAW 1.30%
Holdings
BFLX 305
DFAW 6
Avg volume (30D)
BFLX 1.12M sh, better
DFAW 98.6K sh
NAV per share
BFLX $25.26
DFAW $82.88
52W range

ETF.net Grade

BFLX: Cost 79, Risk 56, Mission not scored, Tradability 80, Holdings 81, Durability 68. DFAW: Cost 95, Risk 74, Mission 100, Tradability 83, Holdings 32, Durability 79.
Pillar letters and Scores for BFLX, DFAW, with each pillar’s weight
PillarBFLXDFAW
Cost30% weightA79A95Higher
Mission25% weightNot scoredA100
Risk15% weightB56A74Higher
Tradability15% weightA80A83Higher
Holdings10% weightA81HigherD32
Durability5% weightB68A79Higher

Rank among Global Active Equity funds

How we build Categories ›
Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Same Category. BFLX and DFAW are both graded against the same 44 Global Active Equity funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Global Active Equity⁠

Category · 44 funds
See all 44 ›

DFAW ranks 1st and BFLX 5th of 44 funds in the Global Active Equity Category.

  1. Rank 1AAVTMAvantis Total Equity Markets ETF 1Score 79
  2. Rank 1ABDVLiShares Disciplined Volatility Equity Active ETFScore 79
  3. Rank 1ADFAWDimensional World Equity ETFScore 79
  4. Rank 4AAVGEAvantis All Equity Markets ETFScore 78
  5. Rank 5ABFLXiShares Flexible Equity Active ETFScore 74
  6. Rank 5AGEQCambria Global EW 2 ETFScore 74

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

BFLXAiShares Flexible Equity Active ETF

DFAWADimensional World Equity ETF

In short

BFLX A hedge-fund move in an ETF wrapper: BFLX runs more than 100% long in global stocks and shorts its least-favored names, staying net long throughout. Systematic signals plus human judgment, 0.40% a year.

DFAW No data

Stated mandate

BFLX The fund seeks total return through a systematic, actively managed global-equity approach. It may use both long and short positions while maintaining net long exposure.

DFAW No data

Why people hold it

  • BFLX The 130/30 build in plain English: stretch the long book past 100% of assets, short the least-favored names to fund it, and keep net exposure long global equities.blackrock.com
  • 0.40% a year, less than the typical fund in its global active-equity peer group, for machinery (shorting, extension) that plain index funds do not offer.
  • Run by BlackRock's Global Allocation systematic team against the MSCI World Index, and already a multi-billion-dollar fund that trades actively.blackrock.com
  • Roughly 500 positions, so it reads as a broad global book rather than a few concentrated bets.

DFAW No data

Worth knowing

  • BFLX Shorting brings costs and risks pure long investing does not: borrow fees, and a short that moves against the fund has no natural ceiling on its loss.ishares.com
  • It launched in 2026, so there is far less history here than behind the decades-old global index funds sitting next to it.
  • Cheaper routes to global equity exist: index-based peers such as AVGE and DFAW charge roughly half as much, without the shorts or the active calls.

DFAW No data

Full BFLX profile⁠

Full DFAW profile⁠

BFLX vs DFAW 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.

BFLX vs DFAW Cost

Overpaying BFLX vs DFAW

$3,331

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

  • BFLX 0.40%

    $8,090

  • DFAW 0.23%

    $4,759

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • BFLX 0.40%
  • DFAW 0.23%
  • Overpaying
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$2K$4K$6K$8K$10K051015202530BFLX $8,090DFAW $4,759

Year by year

YearBFLXDFAWOverpaying
10$723$419$304
20$2,793$1,630$1,163
30$8,090$4,759$3,331

Expense ratio

  • 0.40%BFLX
  • 0.23%DFAW, cheaper
  • Middle half of Global Active Equity funds
  • Median 0.69%

DFAW 2nd cheapest of 44 funds

BFLX 11th cheapest of 44 funds

BFLX vs DFAW Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026
Yield (12M)
BFLX No data
DFAW 1.30%
Payout (12M)
BFLX None
DFAW $1.08
Last payment
BFLX No data
DFAW $0.26
Ex-dividend
BFLX No data
DFAW Sep 22, 2026
Paid on
BFLX No data
DFAW Sep 24, 2026
Frequency
BFLX No data
DFAW Quarterly

Distribution history

Per share, 2023 to 2026, same scale for both

BFLXAll BFLX payments⁠

No distribution history available.

DFAWQuarterly · 12 paymentsAll DFAW payments⁠
One bar per payment. 12 payments from 2023 to 2026 YTD. Dec 21, 2023 $0.23; Mar 19, 2024 $0.10; Jun 18, 2024 $0.30; Sep 17, 2024 $0.22; Dec 19, 2024 $0.30; Mar 25, 2025 $0.14; Jun 24, 2025 $0.36; Sep 23, 2025 $0.24; Dec 18, 2025 $0.28; Mar 24, 2026 $0.16; Jun 23, 2026 $0.38; Sep 22, 2026 $0.26. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$0.2520232026YTD

BFLX vs DFAW Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

This chart needs five years of history for both funds.

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years
BFLX No dataDFAW 11.8%
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years
BFLX No dataDFAW 1.37
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years
BFLX No dataDFAW −16.9%since Sep 2023
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years
BFLX 0.95DFAW 0.91

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