DEEF vs DFAI: Grades, Fees and Holdings Compared

Xtrackers FTSE Developed ex US Multifactor ETF

DEEFBNYSE Arca

Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF

DFAIANYSE Arca

Overlap

35.2%by weight

Expense ratio

DFAI −0.06pt a year

DEEF0.24%DFAI0.18%

Avg volume · 30D

DFAI 1712.1×the volume

DEEF1.06KDFAI1.81M

5Y return · a year

DFAI +1.5pt

DEEF+8.1%DFAI+9.6%

DEEF vs DFAI Performance

Oct 29, 2021 – Oct 30, 2026

+47.7%DEEF+58.2%DFAI

Expense ratio: DEEF 0.24%; DFAI 0.18%, better
Fund size: DEEF $55M; DFAI $18.2B
1Y total return: DEEF +16.8%, better; DFAI +15.9%
Yield (12M): DEEF 2.39%; DFAI 2.44%, better
Holdings: DEEF 1190; DFAI 3767
Avg volume (30D): DEEF 1.06K sh; DFAI 1.81M sh, better
NAV per share: DEEF $39.58; DFAI $41.47
52W range

ETF.net Grade

Pillar letters and Scores for DEEF, DFAI, with each pillar’s weight
Pillar	DEEF	DFAI
Cost30% weight	A81	A91Higher
Mission25% weight	Not scored	B63
Risk15% weight	B58Higher	C49
Tradability15% weight	D31	A81Higher
Holdings10% weight	A85Higher	A80
Durability5% weight	C46	A71Higher

Rank among International Multifactor funds

How we build Categories ›

Same Category. DEEF and DFAI are both graded against the same 30 International Multifactor funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

International Multifactor⁠

Category · 30 funds

See all 30 ›

DFAI ranks 2nd and DEEF 10th of 30 funds in the International Multifactor Category.

Rank 1AINTFiShares International Equity Factor ETFScore 79
Rank 2ADFAIDimensional International Core Equity Market ETFScore 77
Rank 3AGSWOGoldman Sachs ActiveBeta World Equity ETFScore 76
Rank 9BFENIFidelity Enhanced International ETFScore 65
Rank 10BDEEFXtrackers FTSE Developed ex US Multifactor ETFScore 64
Rank 10BQEFAState Street SPDR MSCI EAFE StrategicFactors ETFScore 64

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

DEEFBXtrackers FTSE Developed ex US Multifactor ETF

DFAIADimensional International Core Equity Market ETF

In short

DEEF One index, four factor tilts, roughly 1,200 developed-market stocks outside the US, for 0.24% a year. Xtrackers has run this multifactor recipe since 2015, and the price tag is the loudest part of the pitch.

DFAI Dimensional's take on developed markets outside the US: several thousand stocks, plus deliberate leans toward cheaper and more profitable companies. Index-fund breadth with a research desk setting the weights, priced above the plain vanilla crowd.

Stated mandate

DEEF The Fund passively seeks to track, before fees and expenses, the performance of the FTSE Developed ex US Comprehensive Factor Index.

DFAI The fund seeks long-term capital appreciation through an integrated approach combining research, portfolio design, portfolio management, and trading.

Why people hold it

DEEF Charges 0.24% a year, undercutting well-regarded rivals in the same multifactor lane like GSIE (0.25%) and RODM (0.29%).
Value, quality, momentum and low volatility are blended inside one FTSE index rather than bolted together as separate sleeves, so it is a single ticker instead of four.
Roughly 1,200 holdings across developed markets outside the US, spreading the factor bets over a broad basket rather than a concentrated one.
Live since 2015 on a passive, rules-based mandate: it follows the index, with no manager discretion in the mix.

DFAI Holds several thousand developed-market stocks outside the US, so no single name, sector or country steers the fund.
The tilts are in the mandate, not the marketing: it leans toward cheaper stocks and more profitable companies while still owning the broad market.
Portfolio construction is one of the stronger builds in its peer group, and the fund is a multi-billion-dollar, actively traded name that pays quarterly.

Worth knowing

DEEF Thinly traded and small by category standards, so spreads can add cost the expense ratio does not show. Limit orders matter more here than in the giants.
A four-factor blend is built to look different from a plain cap-weighted developed-markets index, which means stretches of divergence in both directions.
Cheaper doors into the same idea exist: INTF at 0.16% and FDEV at 0.18%.

DFAI At 0.18% it costs many times what plain cap-weighted rivals like VEA, SPDW and SCHF charge. The tilts are what the extra buys.
MSCI World ex USA IMI is the yardstick, not a leash. Dimensional builds the portfolio its own way, so it can look and behave differently from that index.
Launched in late 2020, so its live record is shorter than the index giants', and on the whole package it lands in the lower half of its developed-core cohort.

Full DEEF profile⁠

Full DFAI profile⁠

DEEF vs DFAI Holdings

How DEEF and DFAI differ

Overlap by weight

35.2%

Shared holdings make up 84.3% of DEEF and 70.4% of DFAI.

Level by level

Holdings975 in both35.2%
Countryby domicile79.1%
Sector11 Sectors80.4%
Asset classEquity100%

Sector

Sector weights in DEEF and DFAI, widest gap first
Sector	More in DEEFMore in DFAI	DEEF	DFAI
Financials	DFAI +9.0 points	15.6%	24.6%
Industrials	DEEF +6.5 points	24.2%	17.7%
Technology	DFAI +6.0 points	4.5%	10.5%
Health Care	DFAI +3.5 points	5.2%	8.7%
Consumer Staples	DEEF +3.5 points	9.7%	6.2%
Utilities	DEEF +3.5 points	7.2%	3.7%
Real Estate	DEEF +3.0 points	4.2%	1.2%
Consumer Discretionary	DEEF +2.4 points	10.1%	7.7%
Energy	DFAI +0.9 points	6.2%	7.1%
Communication	DEEF +0.8 points	4.4%	3.6%
Materials	DFAI +0.1 points	8.8%	8.9%

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Country weights in DEEF and DFAI, widest gap first
Country	More in DEEFMore in DFAI	DEEF	DFAI
Japan	DEEF +5.9 points	30.2%	24.3%
Switzerland	DFAI +5.0 points	3.6%	8.6%
Canada	DFAI +4.6 points	6.8%	11.4%
Germany	DFAI +4.0 points	3.2%	7.2%
Australia	DEEF +3.0 points	9.0%	6.0%
South Korea	DEEF +2.8 points	2.8%	0.0%
Netherlands	DFAI +2.8 points	2.0%	4.8%
Sweden	DEEF +2.7 points	5.6%	2.9%
Other countries (24)	DEEF +2.0 points	36.8%	34.8%

Outside the US: DEEF 93% developed, 7% emerging. DFAI 99% developed, 1% emerging.

Concentration

Weight in the 10 largest Holdings

DEEF7.8%
DFAI9.8%

Securities held

DEEF1,188
DFAI3,749

Asset class

DEEF: Equity
DFAI: Equity

Holdings

Only in DEEF213
In both975
Only in DFAI2,774

Only in DEEF

213 securities, 13.2% of DEEF by weight

Industrivarden AB-C SHS0.57%
Tesco PLC0.51%
Industrivarden AB0.36%
Investor AB0.32%
Klepierre0.31%
Vicinity Centres0.27%
Polski Koncern Naftowy Orlen0.26%
Kyocera Corp0.24%
KT&G Corp0.23%
British Land Co PLC0.23%
Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd0.21%
Heineken Holding NV0.21%
Orix Corp0.20%
Intercontinental Hotels G 20.85213P0.18%
Kia Motors Corp0.18%
Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co Ltd0.18%
Nippon Yusen KK0.17%
Tenaris S A USD 1.00.16%
Coca-Cola HBC AG-CDI0.16%
Hellenic Telecommunications Organization0.16%
Scentre Group0.15%
Lundbergs Ab-B Shs0.15%
Glencore PLC0.14%
3i Group PLC0.14%
GPT Group0.13%
Korean Air Lines Co Ltd0.13%
IGM Financial Inc0.13%
Hankook Tire Co Ltd0.13%
Hana Financial Group Inc0.12%
Merlin Properties Socimi SA0.11%
Maruichi Steel Tube Ltd0.11%
Powszechny Zaklad Ubezpieczen0.11%
GS Holdings Corp0.11%
Woori Financial Group Inc0.11%
Paz Oil Co Ltd0.11%
Bank Pekao SA0.11%
Dongbu Insurance Co Ltd0.10%
JGC Corp0.10%
Pko Bank Polski SA0.10%
Public Power Corp0.10%
Shinhan Financial Group Co Ltd0.10%
Stanley Electric Co Ltd0.09%
Yamato Kogyo Co Ltd0.09%
KB Financial Group Inc0.09%
Investor AB0.09%
Intermediate Capital Group PLC0.09%
Segro PLC0.09%
Hyundai Mobis Co Ltd0.09%
Lg Uplus Corp0.09%
International Consolidated Airlines SA0.09%

Only in DFAI

2,774 securities, 29.3% of DFAI by weight

Asml Holding NV1.90%
Hsbc Holdings PLC0.96%
Mitsubishi Ufj Financial0.76%
Novartis AG Adr0.70%
Royal Bank of Canada0.64%
Advantest Corp0.62%
Toronto-Dominion Bank0.53%
Commonwealth Bank of Aust0.51%
Canadian Natural Resource0.40%
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial0.38%
Suncor Energy Inc.0.37%
Mizuho Financial Group In0.36%
Bank of Nova Scotia/The0.35%
Royal Bank of Canada0.31%
Fujikura Ltd0.30%
Enbridge Inc0.28%
Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd0.26%
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Arge0.26%
Kioxia Holdings Corp0.25%
Compass Group PLC0.24%
Tesco PLC0.23%
Ubs Group AG0.23%
Shopify Inc0.23%
Shopify Inc- Class A0.23%
Ubs Group AG0.22%
Glencore PLC0.21%
Barrick Mining Corp0.21%
Bhp Group Ltd0.18%
Canadian National Railway0.18%
Brookfield Corp0.18%
Sunbelt Rentals Holdings0.17%
Rheinmetall AG0.16%
Canadian Pacific Kansas C0.15%
Deutsche Bank AG0.15%
Manulife Financial Corp0.14%
Canadian Imperial Bank of0.14%
Bank of Montreal0.14%
Celestica Inc0.13%
Wheaton Precious Metals C0.13%
Banco Santander SA0.13%
Waste Connections Inc0.12%
Tc Energy Corp0.12%
Ferrari NV0.12%
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial0.12%
Ibiden Co Ltd0.12%
Nutrien Ltd0.12%
Cenovus Energy Inc0.11%
Hermes International0.11%
Alcon Inc0.11%
Commerzbank Ag-Tend0.11%

Weight gaps

The 100 widest of 975 Holdings in both funds.

Holding weights in DEEF and DFAI, widest gap first
Holding	More in DEEFMore in DFAI	DEEF	DFAI
Roche Holding AG Part	DFAI +1.15 points	0.04%	1.19%
Shell PLCSHEL.L	DFAI +1.14 points	0.15%	1.29%
Nestle SA-Reg	DFAI +0.82 points	0.05%	0.87%
AstraZeneca PLCAZN.L	DFAI +0.76 points	0.03%	0.79%
Magna International Inc	DEEF +0.73 points	0.77%	0.04%
Qbe Insurance Group Ltd	DEEF +0.66 points	0.79%	0.13%
Toyota Motor Corp	DFAI +0.61 points	0.02%	0.63%
Allianz SE-Reg	DFAI +0.57 points	0.04%	0.61%
Recruit Holdings Co Ltd	DFAI +0.57 points	0.02%	0.59%
Sap SE	DFAI +0.56 points	<0.01%	0.57%
Sony Corp	DFAI +0.56 points	<0.01%	0.57%
Siemens AG-Reg	DFAI +0.55 points	0.01%	0.56%
Woolworths Ltd	DEEF +0.54 points	0.66%	0.12%
Total SA	DFAI +0.53 points	0.16%	0.69%
Tokyo Electron Ltd	DFAI +0.50 points	<0.01%	0.51%
BHP Billiton Ltd	DFAI +0.50 points	0.08%	0.58%
BlueScope Steel Ltd	DEEF +0.48 points	0.52%	0.04%
Rolls-Royce Holdings PLCRR.L	DFAI +0.47 points	0.01%	0.48%
Osaka Gas Co Ltd	DEEF +0.42 points	0.47%	0.05%
Hitachi Ltd	DFAI +0.40 points	0.05%	0.45%
Kingfisher PLCKGF.L	DEEF +0.40 points	0.44%	0.04%
Bp PLCBP.L	DFAI +0.39 points	0.18%	0.57%
ASML Holding NV	DFAI +0.39 points	0.02%	0.41%
Tokyo Gas Co Ltd	DEEF +0.38 points	0.43%	0.05%
UniCredit SpA	DFAI +0.38 points	0.02%	0.40%
Schneider Electric SE	DFAI +0.37 points	0.03%	0.40%
Brother Industries Ltd	DEEF +0.36 points	0.40%	0.04%
Banco Santander SA	DFAI +0.37 points	0.02%	0.39%
Hiscox LtdHSX.L	DEEF +0.36 points	0.40%	0.04%
J Sainsbury PLCSBRY.L	DEEF +0.35 points	0.39%	0.04%
Siemens Energy AG	DFAI +0.35 points	<0.01%	0.36%
Deutsche Telekom AG-Reg	DFAI +0.35 points	0.06%	0.41%
Astellas Pharma Inc	DEEF +0.35 points	0.48%	0.13%
DBS Group Holdings Ltd	DFAI +0.35 points	0.03%	0.38%
Dcc PLCDCC.L	DEEF +0.34 points	0.37%	0.03%
Obayashi Corp	DEEF +0.34 points	0.39%	0.05%
Yara International ASA	DEEF +0.33 points	0.36%	0.03%
Unilever PLC NpvULVR.L	DFAI +0.33 points	0.06%	0.39%
Airbus SE	DFAI +0.33 points	0.01%	0.34%
Safran SA	DFAI +0.32 points	0.04%	0.36%
Tokio Marine Holdings Inc	DFAI +0.32 points	0.04%	0.36%
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson-B SHS	DEEF +0.32 points	0.44%	0.12%
Chubu Electric Power Co Inc	DEEF +0.31 points	0.36%	0.05%
Woodside P Npv	DEEF +0.31 points	0.48%	0.17%
Iberdrola SA	DFAI +0.31 points	0.07%	0.38%
Asahi Kasei Corp	DEEF +0.29 points	0.37%	0.08%
Barclays PLCBARC.L	DFAI +0.30 points	0.03%	0.33%
Acs Actividades Cons Y Serv	DEEF +0.29 points	0.37%	0.08%
Air Liquide SA	DFAI +0.29 points	0.06%	0.35%
ABB Ltd-Reg	DFAI +0.29 points	0.05%	0.34%
Publicis Groupe SA	DEEF +0.29 points	0.42%	0.13%
Admiral Group PLCADM.L	DEEF +0.29 points	0.35%	0.06%
Sampo OYJ	DEEF +0.29 points	0.40%	0.11%
BNP Paribas SA	DFAI +0.29 points	0.01%	0.30%
Subsea 7 SA	DEEF +0.28 points	0.32%	0.04%
L'Oreal SA	DFAI +0.28 points	0.01%	0.29%
Veolia Environnement SA	DEEF +0.28 points	0.38%	0.10%
Canon Inc	DEEF +0.28 points	0.35%	0.07%
Zurich Insurance Group AG	DFAI +0.28 points	0.08%	0.36%
Intesa Sanpaolo SpA	DFAI +0.28 points	0.02%	0.30%
Medibank Pvt Ltd	DEEF +0.27 points	0.31%	0.04%
Carrefour SA	DEEF +0.27 points	0.32%	0.05%
Next PLCNXT.L	DEEF +0.27 points	0.38%	0.11%
Ramsay Health Care Ltd	DEEF +0.27 points	0.30%	0.03%
Suncor Energy Inc	DEEF +0.27 points	0.33%	0.06%
National Australia Bank Ltd	DFAI +0.27 points	0.02%	0.29%
Otsuka Corp	DEEF +0.27 points	0.30%	0.03%
Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA	DEEF +0.26 points	0.37%	0.11%
Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize NV	DEEF +0.27 points	0.40%	0.13%
Westpac Banking Corp	DFAI +0.27 points	0.01%	0.28%
Essity AB	DEEF +0.26 points	0.33%	0.07%
Bayer AG	DFAI +0.26 points	0.02%	0.28%
Novo-Nordisk B	DFAI +0.26 points	0.01%	0.27%
Electric Power Development C	DEEF +0.26 points	0.28%	0.02%
Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA	DFAI +0.26 points	0.03%	0.29%
Kyuden Holdings	DEEF +0.25 points	0.28%	0.03%
British American Tobacco PLCBATS.L	DFAI +0.26 points	0.08%	0.34%
Bridgestone Corp	DEEF +0.25 points	0.37%	0.12%
Bank of Montreal	DFAI +0.25 points	<0.01%	0.26%
Bunzl PLCBNZL.L	DEEF +0.25 points	0.30%	0.05%
Fast Retailing Co Ltd	DFAI +0.25 points	0.02%	0.27%
Skanska AB-B SHS	DEEF +0.24 points	0.28%	0.04%
Repsol SA	DEEF +0.24 points	0.45%	0.21%
Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd	DFAI +0.24 points	0.02%	0.26%
AIA Group Ltd	DFAI +0.25 points	0.05%	0.30%
Infineon Technologies AG	DFAI +0.25 points	0.01%	0.26%
Comsys Holdings Corp	DEEF +0.24 points	0.26%	0.02%
Nippon Express Holdings Inc	DEEF +0.23 points	0.27%	0.04%
Deutsche Boerse AG	DFAI +0.23 points	0.03%	0.26%
ING Groep NV	DFAI +0.22 points	0.06%	0.28%
Sompo Holdings Inc	DEEF +0.23 points	0.37%	0.14%
Ono Pharmaceutical Co Ltd	DEEF +0.22 points	0.24%	0.02%
Medipal Holdings Corp	DEEF +0.22 points	0.24%	0.02%
Bezeq The Israeli Telecom Co	DEEF +0.22 points	0.25%	0.03%
Canadian Tire Corp-Class A	DEEF +0.22 points	0.26%	0.04%
Toromont Industries Ltd	DEEF +0.21 points	0.26%	0.05%
CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd	DEEF +0.22 points	0.28%	0.06%
United Utilities Group PLCUU.L	DEEF +0.22 points	0.28%	0.06%
Novartis AG-Reg	DFAI +0.22 points	0.06%	0.28%
Standard Chartered PLCSTAN.L	DFAI +0.21 points	<0.01%	0.22%

All 1,201 DEEF holdings⁠All 3,869 DFAI 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.

DEEF vs DFAI Cost

Overpaying DEEF vs DFAI

$1,210

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

DEEF 0.24%
$4,959
DFAI 0.18%
$3,749

Amount$10,000

Years30 years

Cost over time

DEEF 0.24%
DFAI 0.18%
Overpaying

Year by year

Year	DEEF	DFAI	Overpaying
10	$437	$328	$109
20	$1,699	$1,281	$418
30	$4,959	$3,749	$1,210

Expense ratio

0.24%DEEF
0.18%DFAI, cheaper

DFAI0.18%DEEF0.24%

0.15%0.80%

Middle half of International Multifactor funds
Median 0.34%

DFAI 3rd cheapest of 30 funds

DEEF 6th cheapest of 30 funds

DEEF vs DFAI Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026

Yield (12M): DEEF 2.39%; DFAI 2.44%, better
Payout (12M): DEEF $0.94; DFAI $1.01
Last payment: DEEF $0.07; DFAI $0.18
Ex-dividend: DEEF Sep 18, 2026; DFAI Sep 22, 2026
Paid on: DEEF Sep 25, 2026; DFAI Sep 24, 2026
Frequency: DEEF Quarterly; DFAI Quarterly

Distribution history

Per share, 2017 to 2026, same scale for both

DEEFQuarterly · 39 paymentsAll DEEF payments⁠

DFAIQuarterly · 24 paymentsAll DFAI payments⁠

DEEF vs DFAI Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

DEEF
DFAI

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years: DEEF 12.5%DFAI 11.6%, better
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years: DEEF 1.18DFAI 1.33, better
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years: DEEF −29.2%DFAI −27.4%, better
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years: DEEF 0.91DFAI 0.91; Market = 1

DEEF and DFAI in the news

All news⁠

New ETFs
Avantis Investors' Avantis U.S. Core Equity ETF AVUC overlaps a fund it already runs
Oct 16, 2026DFAI

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DEEF vs DFAI

In short

Stated mandate

Why people hold it

Worth knowing

How DEEF and DFAI differ

Level by level

Sector

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Concentration

Asset class

Holdings

Only in DEEF

Only in DFAI

Weight gaps

Cost over time

Year by year

Distribution history

Fall from peak · 5 years

Risk facts

Avantis Investors' Avantis U.S. Core Equity ETF AVUC overlaps a fund it already runs

How DEEF and DFAI differ

Level by level

Sector

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Concentration

Asset class

Holdings

Only in DEEF

Only in DFAI

Weight gaps