STXE vs XCEM: Grades, Fees and Holdings Compared

Strive Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF

STXEBNYSE

Columbia EM Core ex-China ETF

XCEMANYSE Arca

Overlap

40.4%by weight

Expense ratio

XCEM −0.16pt a year

STXE0.32%XCEM0.16%

Avg volume · 30D

XCEM 15.2×the volume

STXE10.6KXCEM162K

3Y return · a year

STXE +3.0pt

STXE+24.3%XCEM+21.3%

STXE vs XCEM Performance

Nov 7, 2025 – Nov 9, 2026

+31.5%STXE+24.7%XCEM

Expense ratio: STXE 0.32%; XCEM 0.16%, better
Fund size: STXE $122M; XCEM $1.84B
1Y total return: STXE +31.5%, better; XCEM +24.7%
Yield (12M): STXE 3.14%, better; XCEM 2.73%
Holdings: STXE 189; XCEM 460
Avg volume (30D): STXE 10.6K sh; XCEM 162K sh, better
NAV per share: STXE $42.05; XCEM $43.73
52W range

ETF.net Grade

Pillar letters and Scores for STXE, XCEM, with each pillar’s weight
Pillar	STXE	XCEM
Cost30% weight	A71	A90Higher
Mission25% weight	A89	A100Higher
Risk15% weight	D34	D39Higher
Tradability15% weight	F17	B62Higher
Holdings10% weight	D31	B60Higher
Durability5% weight	C48	A78Higher

Rank among Emerging Markets Stocks funds

How we build Categories ›

Same Category. STXE and XCEM are both graded against the same 20 Emerging Markets Stocks funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Emerging Markets Stocks⁠

Category · 20 funds

See all 20 ›

XCEM ranks 2nd and STXE 14th of 20 funds in the Emerging Markets Stocks Category.

Rank 1AVEXCVanguard Emerging Markets Ex-China ETFScore 82
Rank 2AXCEMColumbia EM Core ex-China ETFScore 77
Rank 3ABKEMBNY Mellon Emerging Markets Equity ETFScore 76
Rank 14BILFiShares Latin America 40 ETFScore 56
Rank 14BSTXEStrive Emerging Markets Ex-China ETFScore 56
Rank 16CASEAGlobal X FTSE Southeast Asia ETFScore 47

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

STXEBStrive Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF

XCEMAColumbia EM Core ex-China ETF

In short

STXE The emerging markets with China taken out at the index level: roughly 300 large and mid caps from the rest of the developing world, tracked passively for 0.32% a year, launched in 2023 as the ex-China idea went mainstream.

XCEM The original ex-China emerging markets fund. Columbia launched XCEM in 2015, back when carving China out of an EM sleeve was a fringe idea rather than a crowded shelf. Roughly 150 EM stocks, no China, 0.16% a year.

Stated mandate

STXE The Fund seeks to track, before fees and expenses, an index of emerging-market securities excluding China.

XCEM The fund seeks investment results that correspond to the performance of the EGAI Emerging Markets ex-China Index before fees and expenses. It generally invests at least 80% of net assets in index companies and seeks to replicate the index.

Why people hold it

STXE Charges 0.32% a year, under the median expense ratio for its emerging-markets peer group.
The China exclusion is written into the index rules, not left to a manager's discretion, so exposure doesn't creep back in.
Spreads across about 300 large and mid cap names rather than a handful of megacaps, and pays out quarterly.
Plain passive indexing against a published Bloomberg benchmark, so the holdings and the rulebook are easy to check.

XCEM Launched in 2015 as the first broad emerging markets ETF built to leave China out, and it has since grown into a billion-dollar-plus fund.morningstar.com
0.16% a year, well under the typical fund in its emerging markets cohort, for a portfolio of about 150 stocks.
Plain mandate, closely followed: at least 80% of net assets in index companies, replicated rather than approximated, with tracking that has stayed tight.
One of the strongest implementations in its emerging markets peer group, and liquid enough that getting in and out is rarely the hard part.

Worth knowing

STXE Trades thinly next to the category's heavyweights, which puts more weight on the bid-ask spread at the moment of the trade.
The ex-China shelf has cheaper index options: VEXC at 0.07% and XCEM at 0.16% cover similar ground.
A 2023 launch with a modest asset base, so the track record is short next to long-running emerging-markets funds.

XCEM No China means no Tencent, no Alibaba, no A-shares. If that exposure belongs in the portfolio, it has to come from somewhere else.
Emerging market stocks swing hard and currency moves add to the ride. This is one of the higher-volatility corners of equity investing.
Cheap, not cheapest: VEXC runs the same ex-China EM idea at 0.07%. XCEM's edge is a decade of history, not the lowest fee on the shelf.

Full STXE profile⁠

Full XCEM profile⁠

STXE vs XCEM Holdings

How STXE and XCEM differ

Overlap by weight

40.4%

Shared holdings make up 64.6% of STXE and 41.4% of XCEM.

Level by level

Holdings111 in both40.4%
Countryby domicile90.6%
Sector11 Sectors92.7%
Asset classStocks100%

Sector

Sector weights in STXE and XCEM, widest gap first
Sector	Gap	STXE	XCEM
Financials	STXE +5.2 points	22.5%	17.3%
Industrials	XCEM +4.5 points	4.5%	9.0%
Health Care	XCEM +1.2 points	1.2%	2.4%
Consumer Discretionary	XCEM +0.6 points	3.7%	4.3%
Energy	STXE +0.6 points	3.7%	3.1%
Technology	STXE +0.6 points	52.5%	51.9%
Materials	STXE +0.5 points	5.8%	5.3%
Real Estate	XCEM +0.5 points	0.3%	0.8%
Communication	STXE +0.5 points	3.2%	2.7%
Consumer Staples	XCEM +0.5 points	1.2%	1.7%
Utilities	XCEM +0.1 points	1.5%	1.6%

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Country weights in STXE and XCEM, widest gap first
Country	Gap	STXE	XCEM
South Korea	STXE +7.3 points	30.8%	23.5%
India	XCEM +4.7 points	14.1%	18.8%
South Africa	XCEM +1.5 points	3.8%	5.3%
Mexico	STXE +1.0 points	3.4%	2.4%
Taiwan	XCEM +0.8 points	36.4%	37.2%
United States	XCEM +0.7 points	1.0%	1.7%
Brazil	STXE +0.6 points	4.6%	4.0%
Other countries (12)	XCEM +1.2 points	5.8%	7.0%

Outside the US: STXE 0% developed, 100% emerging. XCEM 0% developed, 100% emerging.

Concentration

Weight in the 10 largest Holdings

STXE36.6%
XCEM33.3%

Securities held

STXE186
XCEM451

Asset class

STXE: Stocks
XCEM: Stocks

Holdings

Only in STXE75
In both111
Only in XCEM340

Only in STXE

75 securities, 35.6% of STXE by weight

HDFC Bank Ltd2.44%
ICICI Bank Ltd2.35%
Al Rajhi Bank2.05%
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd1.87%
Reliance Industries Ltd1.74%
Bharti Airtel Ltd1.07%
Anglogold Ashanti Plc0.96%
Larsen & Toubro Ltd0.89%
Saudi Arabian Oil Co0.89%
Axis Bank Ltd0.85%
Saudi National Bank/The0.80%
Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd0.73%
Petroleo Brasileiro SA - Petrobras0.72%
State Bank of India0.69%
OTP Bank Nyrt0.68%
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd0.65%
Bajaj Finance Ltd0.62%
Eternal Ltd0.61%
Delta Electronics Thailand PCL0.52%
Saudi Arabian Mining Co0.48%
Emirates NBD Bank PJSC0.46%
Saudi Telecom Co0.45%
Emirates Telecommunications Group Co PJSC0.44%
Credicorp Ltd0.42%
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd0.39%
Malayan Banking Bhd0.38%
Public Bank Bhd0.37%
Titan Co Ltd0.37%
First American Government Obligations Fund 12/01/20310.36%
Tata Steel Ltd0.33%
Southern Copper Corp0.33%
Kasikornbank PCL0.32%
Hindustan Unilever Ltd0.32%
Bharat Electronics Ltd0.32%
Falabella SA0.31%
Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd0.31%
NTPC Ltd0.30%
Adani Power Ltd0.30%
Ptt Pcl0.30%
International Container Terminal Services Inc0.29%
CIMB Group Holdings Bhd0.29%
Bank Central Asia Tbk PT0.29%
Asian Paints Ltd0.28%
Tenaga Nasional Bhd0.28%
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC0.28%
Riyad Bank0.28%
Gulf Development PCL0.28%
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank PJSC0.28%
Shriram Finance Ltd0.28%
Grasim Industries Ltd0.27%

Only in XCEM

340 securities, 57.8% of XCEM by weight

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd15.38%
Icici Bank Ltd1.18%
Hdfc Bank Ltd1.05%
Reliance Industries Ltd0.99%
International Holding Co Pjsc0.95%
Al Rajhi Bank0.72%
Bharti Airtel Ltd0.67%
Vaneck Semiconductor Etf0.66%
Ishares Semiconductor Etf0.60%
Saudi Arabian Oil Co0.49%
Otp Bank Nyrt0.48%
Tenaga Nasional Bhd0.45%
Larsen & Toubro Ltd0.44%
Titan Co Ltd0.44%
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd0.42%
Novatek Microelectronics Corp0.40%
First Abu Dhabi Bank Pjsc0.40%
Axis Bank Ltd0.39%
State Bank of India0.38%
Delta Electronics Thailand Pcl0.38%
Saudi National Bank/The0.36%
Ihh Healthcare Bhd0.36%
Bajaj Finance Ltd0.35%
Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd0.34%
Waaree Energies Ltd0.32%
Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd0.31%
Global Unichip Corp0.29%
Tech Mahindra Ltd0.29%
Saudi Arabian Mining Co0.29%
Saudi Telecom Co0.29%
Jentech Precision Industrial Co Ltd0.28%
Shoprite Holdings Ltd0.28%
Laurus Labs Ltd0.27%
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd0.26%
Nanya Technology Corp0.25%
Wipro Ltd0.24%
Divi's Laboratories Ltd0.24%
Emirates Telecommunications Group Co Pjsc0.23%
Emirates Nbd Bank Pjsc0.23%
Tata Steel Ltd0.23%
Bid Corp Ltd0.22%
Chang Hwa Commercial Bank Ltd0.22%
Ptt Pcl0.21%
Aspeed Technology Inc0.21%
Winbond Electronics Corp0.21%
Alchip Technologies Ltd0.21%
Taiwan Business Bank0.20%
King Yuan Electronics Co Ltd0.20%
Bharat Electronics Ltd0.20%
Ltm Ltd0.20%

Weight gaps

The 100 widest of 111 Holdings in both funds.

Holding weights in STXE and XCEM, widest gap first
Holding	Gap	STXE	XCEM
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd	STXE +5.67 points	13.13%	7.46%
SK hynix Inc	STXE +5.22 points	7.87%	2.65%
Grupo Mexico SAB de CV	STXE +0.86 points	1.49%	0.63%
MediaTek Inc	STXE +0.68 points	2.31%	1.63%
Kuwait Finance House KSCP	STXE +0.41 points	0.64%	0.23%
Grupo Financiero Banorte SAB de CV	STXE +0.38 points	0.67%	0.29%
National Bank of Kuwait SAKP	STXE +0.37 points	0.51%	0.14%
Itau Unibanco Holdings SA	STXE +0.31 points	0.84%	0.53%
Standard Bank Group Ltd	STXE +0.31 points	0.52%	0.21%
Petroleo Brasileiro SA - Petrobras	STXE +0.29 points	0.77%	0.48%
Fubon Financial Holding Co Ltd	STXE +0.27 points	0.62%	0.35%
Vale SA	STXE +0.27 points	0.72%	0.45%
Gold Fields Ltd	STXE +0.26 points	0.71%	0.45%
SK Square Co Ltd	STXE +0.25 points	0.81%	0.56%
TS Financial Holding Co Ltd	STXE +0.26 points	0.45%	0.19%
Yuanta Financial Holding Co Ltd	STXE +0.24 points	0.42%	0.18%
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd	STXE +0.24 points	1.34%	1.10%
BSE Ltd	STXE +0.24 points	0.33%	0.09%
Qatar National Bank QPSC	STXE +0.24 points	0.47%	0.23%
Capitec Limited	STXE +0.24 points	0.57%	0.33%
Orlen SA	STXE +0.24 points	0.41%	0.17%
America Movil SAB de CV	STXE +0.23 points	0.55%	0.32%
Industrias Penoles SAB de CV	STXE +0.22 points	0.37%	0.15%
Emaar Properties PJSC	STXE +0.22 points	0.46%	0.24%
Naspers Ltd	STXE +0.22 points	0.71%	0.49%
Bank Polska Kasa Opieki SA	STXE +0.21 points	0.31%	0.10%
Powszechny Zaklad Ubezpieczen SA	XCEM +0.20 points	0.22%	0.42%
Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV	STXE +0.21 points	0.48%	0.27%
Cemex SAB de CV	STXE +0.18 points	0.31%	0.13%
Valterra Platinum Ltd	STXE +0.19 points	0.38%	0.19%
Mega Financial Holding Co Ltd	STXE +0.17 points	0.30%	0.13%
SinoPac Financial Holdings Co Ltd	STXE +0.16 points	0.27%	0.11%
Nan Ya Plastics Corp	STXE +0.16 points	0.62%	0.46%
MTN Group Ltd	STXE +0.16 points	0.47%	0.31%
KGHM Polska Miedz SA	STXE +0.15 points	0.21%	0.06%
Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co Ltd	STXE +0.16 points	0.65%	0.49%
Hua Nan Financial Holdings Co Ltd	STXE +0.16 points	0.25%	0.09%
Cia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo SABESP	STXE +0.15 points	0.23%	0.08%
Delta Electronics Inc	STXE +0.15 points	0.93%	0.78%
E.Sun Financial Holding Co Ltd	STXE +0.15 points	0.33%	0.18%
Evergreen Marine Corp Taiwan Ltd	STXE +0.15 points	0.22%	0.07%
Banco Bradesco SA	STXE +0.15 points	0.29%	0.14%
Wal-Mart de Mexico SAB de CV	STXE +0.15 points	0.27%	0.12%
KGI Financial Holding Co Ltd	STXE +0.14 points	0.28%	0.14%
Weg SA	STXE +0.13 points	0.34%	0.21%
FirstRand Ltd	STXE +0.14 points	0.63%	0.49%
Powszechna Kasa Oszczednosci Bank Polski SA	XCEM +0.14 points	0.53%	0.67%
Chunghwa Telecom Co Ltd	STXE +0.13 points	0.33%	0.20%
Itausa SA	XCEM +0.13 points	0.27%	0.40%
NAVER Corp	STXE +0.12 points	0.38%	0.26%
Hanwha Aerospace Co Ltd	STXE +0.13 points	0.32%	0.19%
Unimicron Technology Corp	STXE +0.12 points	0.48%	0.36%
Cathay Financial Holding Co Ltd	STXE +0.12 points	0.48%	0.36%
National Bank of Greece SA	STXE +0.11 points	0.33%	0.22%
Uni-President Enterprises Corp	STXE +0.11 points	0.19%	0.08%
Samsung Life Insurance Co Ltd	STXE +0.11 points	0.28%	0.17%
Formosa Plastics Corp	STXE +0.10 points	0.16%	0.06%
Realtek Semiconductor Corp	XCEM +0.09 points	0.18%	0.27%
Hyundai Motor Co	STXE +0.10 points	0.51%	0.41%
B3 SA - Brasil Bolsa Balcao	STXE +0.09 points	0.29%	0.20%
Chroma ATE Inc	XCEM +0.10 points	0.21%	0.31%
Asia Vital Components Co Ltd	XCEM +0.09 points	0.32%	0.41%
PharmaEssentia Corp	STXE +0.08 points	0.22%	0.14%
SK Telecom Co Ltd	STXE +0.08 points	0.17%	0.09%
Yageo Corp	STXE +0.08 points	0.32%	0.24%
Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co Ltd	STXE +0.07 points	0.26%	0.19%
Taiwan Mobile Co Ltd	STXE +0.07 points	0.17%	0.10%
Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd	STXE +0.07 points	0.19%	0.12%
Doosan Enerbility Co Ltd	STXE +0.07 points	0.28%	0.21%
SK Inc	STXE +0.07 points	0.23%	0.16%
Eurobank SA	STXE +0.07 points	0.27%	0.20%
Embraer SA	XCEM +0.07 points	0.26%	0.33%
United Microelectronics Corp	STXE +0.06 points	0.51%	0.45%
Hyundai Mobis Co Ltd	STXE +0.07 points	0.29%	0.22%
KB Financial Group Inc	STXE +0.06 points	0.69%	0.63%
Kia Corp	STXE +0.06 points	0.33%	0.27%
LG Corp	STXE +0.06 points	0.15%	0.09%
Samsung C&T Corp	STXE +0.07 points	0.28%	0.21%
Quanta Computer Inc	STXE +0.06 points	0.40%	0.34%
Elite Material Co Ltd	STXE +0.06 points	0.56%	0.50%
Woori Financial Group Inc	STXE +0.06 points	0.32%	0.26%
LG Electronics Inc	STXE +0.06 points	0.21%	0.15%
Far EasTone Telecommunications Co Ltd	STXE +0.05 points	0.14%	0.09%
ASE Technology Holding Co Ltd	XCEM +0.05 points	0.84%	0.89%
LS Electric Co Ltd	XCEM +0.04 points	0.12%	0.16%
Ambev SA	STXE +0.04 points	0.22%	0.18%
Largan Precision Co Ltd	XCEM +0.03 points	0.18%	0.21%
Samsung Heavy Industries Co Ltd	STXE +0.03 points	0.17%	0.14%
CTBC Financial Holding Co Ltd	STXE +0.03 points	0.63%	0.60%
Wistron Corp	STXE +0.03 points	0.23%	0.20%
Accton Technology Corp	STXE +0.03 points	0.30%	0.27%
Hana Financial Group Inc	XCEM +0.03 points	0.45%	0.48%
HD Hyundai Electric Co Ltd	STXE +0.02 points	0.12%	0.10%
Gold Circuit Electronics Ltd	XCEM +0.03 points	0.12%	0.15%
Hyosung Heavy Industries Corp	XCEM +0.03 points	0.11%	0.14%
Lite-On Technology Corp	STXE +0.02 points	0.21%	0.19%
Hon Precision Inc	XCEM +0.02 points	0.16%	0.18%
POSCO Holdings Inc	STXE +0.02 points	0.26%	0.24%
LG Chem Ltd	STXE +0.02 points	0.14%	0.12%
Shinhan Financial Group Co Ltd	STXE +0.01 points	0.54%	0.53%

All 290 STXE holdings⁠All XCEM 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.

STXE vs XCEM Cost

Overpaying STXE vs XCEM

$3,200

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

STXE 0.32%
$6,542
XCEM 0.16%
$3,342

Amount$10,000

Years30 years

Cost over time

STXE 0.32%
XCEM 0.16%
Overpaying

Year by year

Year	STXE	XCEM	Overpaying
10	$580	$292	$288
20	$2,250	$1,141	$1,109
30	$6,542	$3,342	$3,200

Expense ratio

0.32%STXE
0.16%XCEM, cheaper

XCEM0.16%STXE0.32%

0.07%0.91%

Middle half of Emerging Markets Stocks funds
Median 0.45%

XCEM 3rd cheapest of 20 funds

STXE 6th cheapest of 20 funds

STXE vs XCEM Dividends

Last 12 months to Nov 9, 2026

Yield (12M): STXE 3.14%, better; XCEM 2.73%
Payout (12M): STXE $1.39; XCEM $1.25
Last payment: STXE $0.90; XCEM $1.25
Ex-dividend: STXE Sep 28, 2026; XCEM Dec 18, 2025
Paid on: STXE Sep 30, 2026; XCEM Dec 26, 2025
Frequency: STXE Quarterly; XCEM Annual

Distribution history

Per share, 2017 to 2026, same scale for both

STXEQuarterly · 12 paymentsAll STXE payments⁠

XCEMAnnual · 9 paymentsAll XCEM payments⁠

STXE vs XCEM Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

This chart needs five years of history for both funds.

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years: STXE 21.1%XCEM 20.0%, better
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years: STXE 1.02, betterXCEM 0.95
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years: STXE −23.6%since Jan 2023XCEM −29.5%
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years: STXE 1.30XCEM 1.27; Market = 1

STXE and XCEM in the news

All news⁠

Filings Digest
11 Strive funds will move to NYSE Arca on Dec. 15
Oct 29, 2026STXE
Deep Dive
Korea funds gained 94% this year. China internet funds lost 28%
Sep 13, 2026XCEM
Deep Dive
Two $160 billion EM funds are 11 percentage points apart. Korea is why
Sep 5, 2026XCEM

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