Statistics · 2026 · ETFs
International ETF Statistics (2026)
SCHF was the best of the 6 international stock ETFs compared over one year, returning 22.5% with dividends reinvested, against 16.7% for the S&P 500 fund SPY, as of October 2, 2026. The median international fund beat SPY in 1 of the 4 periods measured (1-year) and trailed it in 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year. Over ten years the best international fund returned 9.9% a year and SPY returned 15.3%.
Key takeaways
- SCHF returned 22.5% over the past year and IEFA returned 15.0%, a gap of 7.5 points.
- Over one year 4 of 6 international funds beat SPY; over three, five and ten years none did.
- Expense ratios run from 0.03% for SCHF and VEA to 0.32% for EFA, or $3 to $32 per $10,000 a year.
- The IMF’s July 2026 World Economic Outlook Update projects advanced-economy growth of 1.7% in 2026, against 2.3% for the United States.
- Vanguard’s VXUS held 8,790 stocks as of August 31, 2026, and 26.21% of the fund sat in emerging markets.
- IEFA paid the highest trailing yield at 3.39%, while SPY paid 0.99%.
Which international ETFs performed best?
SCHF led the group over one year at 22.5% with dividends reinvested, and VEA followed at 21.7%. Over five years SCHF ranked first at 10.7% a year and IEFA ranked last at 9.0%. The gap between best and worst is 7.5 points over one year and 1.7 over five.
1. One-year gap: 7.5 percentage points
SCHF returned 22.5% over the past year and IEFA returned 15.0% (WealthyBud data · 6 international funds, total return · October 2, 2026). Each return runs from a month-end close to the October 2, 2026 price and is annualized over the actual days: the one-year figure covers September 30, 2025 to October 2, 2026, so it will not match an issuer's month-end one-year return. All 6 funds have 121 month-end prices, so none is excluded from the multi-year comparisons below.
2. SCHF and VEA were a near-tie for the three-year lead at 21.1% a year
SCHF compounded at 21.14% a year over three years and VEA at 21.10%, a near-tie: both display as 21.1%. EFA came last at 18.3%, a spread of 2.9 points (WealthyBud data · 3-yr annualized total return · October 2, 2026).
3. Five-year spread: 1.7 points a year
SCHF returned 10.7% a year and IEFA returned 9.0% a year. The median of the 6 funds was 9.5% a year (WealthyBud data · 5-yr annualized total return · October 2, 2026).
| Ticker | Fund | Expense ratio | 1-yr total return | 5-yr total return (ann.) | Volatility (ann.) | Trailing yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EFA | iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | 0.32% | 15.1% | 9.3% | 15.6% | 3.24% |
| IEFA | iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | 0.07% | 15.0% | 9.0% | 15.7% | 3.39% |
| IXUS | iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF | 0.07% | 19.3% | 9.4% | 15.3% | 2.93% |
| SCHF | Schwab International Equity ETF | 0.03% | 22.5% | 10.7% | 16.0% | 3.06% |
| VEA | Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF | 0.03% | 21.7% | 10.4% | 16.2% | 2.40% |
| VXUS | Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | 0.05% | 19.2% | 9.5% | 15.2% | 2.32% |
| SPY | State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | 0.0945% | 16.7% | 13.9% | 15.7% | 0.99% |
| VTI | Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF | 0.03% | 16.4% | 12.8% | 15.9% | 1.04% |
How much do international ETFs cost?
Expense ratios range from 0.03% for SCHF and VEA to 0.32% for EFA, with a median of 0.06%. On $10,000 that is $3 to $32 a year. The S&P 500 fund SPY charges 0.0945% and the total U.S. market fund VTI charges 0.03%.
4. SCHF and VEA cost 0.03% and EFA costs 0.32%
The cheapest group is SCHF and VEA at 0.03%, followed by VXUS at 0.05%. The most expensive is EFA, a 10.7-fold difference (WealthyBud data · issuer-verified expense ratios · October 2, 2026).
5. The same issuer charges 0.32% for EFA and 0.07% for IXUS
BlackRock’s iShares page for EFA lists an expense ratio of 0.32% and 657 holdings, per its fund page. The page for IXUS lists 0.07% and 4,583 holdings, per its fund page, both as of October 1, 2026.
Compare major ETFs by fees and returns
How volatile are international ETFs?
VEA was the most volatile international fund, with annualized volatility of 16.2%, against 15.2% for VXUS. IEFA had the deepest drawdown at 28.6%, and SCHF had the shallowest at 27.5%. Both use month-end prices; lows within a month are not captured. Drawdown is the worst peak-to-trough fall.
6. VEA swung most: 16.2% annualized
VEA had the highest volatility, followed by SCHF at 16.0%, and VXUS had the lowest at 15.2%. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of the last 60 complete monthly returns through September 30, 2026 (WealthyBud data · annualized volatility · October 2, 2026).
7. IEFA fell 28.6% peak to trough
IEFA had the deepest drawdown, IXUS next at 28.4%. SCHF fell least, at 27.5%. Drawdown uses 121 month-end prices from September 30, 2016 to September 30, 2026 plus the October 2, 2026 price; lows within a month are not captured and the dataset does not record when each low occurred. (WealthyBud data · max drawdown · October 2, 2026)
8. 6 of 6 funds fell further than the S&P 500 fund
SPY had a worst drawdown of 23.9% and volatility of 15.7%. 6 of the 6 international funds had a deeper drawdown (month-end prices; lows within a month are not captured), and 3 of 6 had lower volatility (WealthyBud data · volatility and drawdown vs SPY · October 2, 2026).
How have international stocks done versus U.S. stocks?
The median international fund beat SPY in 1 of 4 periods (1-year) and beat VTI in 1 of 4. The periods are 1, 3, 5 and 10 years. Over ten years the median international fund returned 9.3% a year, against 15.3% for SPY and 14.8% for VTI.
9. 4 of 24 fund-period comparisons beat the S&P 500 fund
Across 6 funds and 4 periods (1, 3, 5 and 10 years), international funds beat SPY 4 times and VTI 4 times out of 24 each. Counting a period as won when the median fund beats the benchmark, international funds won 1 of 4 periods against SPY (1-year) (WealthyBud data · 1/3/5/10-yr total return vs SPY and VTI · October 2, 2026).
10. Ten-year gap: 5.4 points a year for the best fund
Over ten years SCHF was the best international fund at 9.9% a year and EFA the weakest at 8.96%, a near-tie with IEFA at 9.05%. SPY returned 15.3% and VTI returned 14.8%. The best fund trailed SPY by 5.4 points a year (WealthyBud data · 10-yr annualized total return; all funds have 121 month-end prices · October 2, 2026).
11. IMF projects advanced-economy growth of 1.7% in 2026 and 1.8% in 2027
The July 2026 World Economic Outlook Update projects growth of 2.3% in 2026 and 2.2% in 2027 for the United States, 0.9% and 1.2% for the euro area, and 0.6% and 0.7% for Japan. Emerging market and developing economies are projected at 3.8% and 4.5%. These are forecasts, not fund returns.
| Period | SPY | VTI | Median international fund | Best international fund | Funds beating SPY | Funds beating VTI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 16.7% | 16.4% | 19.3% | SCHF 22.5% | 4 of 6 | 4 of 6 |
| 3-year | 23.1% | 22.7% | 20.4% | SCHF 21.1% (tied with VEA) | 0 of 6 | 0 of 6 |
| 5-year | 13.9% | 12.8% | 9.5% | SCHF 10.7% | 0 of 6 | 0 of 6 |
| 10-year | 15.3% | 14.8% | 9.3% | SCHF 9.9% | 0 of 6 | 0 of 6 |
What do international ETFs hold?
VXUS held 8,790 stocks as of August 31, 2026, with 26.21% in emerging markets, per Vanguard. The 2 total-international funds include emerging markets, and the 4 funds in the developed-markets category are compared separately below. Japan is the largest country weight in each fund whose page is quoted here.
12. VXUS held 8,790 stocks, with 26.21% in emerging markets
Vanguard’s VXUS page lists 8,790 stocks as of August 31, 2026 and a regional breakdown that puts 26.21% of the fund in emerging markets. Its five largest countries are Japan 15.5%, Taiwan 8.7%, United Kingdom 8.3%, Canada 8.1%, and China 7.0%, which add to 47.6% of the fund.
13. EFA put 25.16% in Japan; VXUS put 15.5%
The iShares EFA page lists Japan at 25.16% of the fund, the United Kingdom at 14.10% and France at 9.25%, which together are 48.5% of the fund as of October 1, 2026. Its Japan weight is 1.6 times the 15.5% weight in VXUS. EFA’s page does not list Canada, Taiwan or China among its 12 countries.
14. Total-international funds had a median five-year return of 9.5%, developed-markets funds 9.9%
Over one year the 2 total-international funds returned a median 19.3%, ahead of the 4 developed-markets funds at 18.4%. Over five years the order was reversed: 9.5% a year, behind 9.9%. Two funds in one group is a small sample, so read these as descriptions (WealthyBud data · medians by fund category · October 2, 2026).
| Country | VXUS | IXUS | EFA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 15.5% | 15.88% | 25.16% |
| United Kingdom | 8.3% | 8.13% | 14.10% |
| Canada | 8.1% | 8.07% | — |
| Taiwan | 8.7% | 9.57% | — |
| China | 7.0% | 6.09% | — |
| France | 5.0% | 4.95% | 9.25% |
| Switzerland | 5.0% | 4.90% | 8.99% |
| Germany | 4.8% | 4.65% | 8.57% |
| Group | Expense ratio | 1-yr return | 3-yr return (ann.) | 5-yr return (ann.) | Volatility | Trailing yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developed markets ex-US (EFA, IEFA, SCHF, and VEA) | 0.05% | 18.4% | 19.8% | 9.9% | 15.9% | 3.15% |
| Total international (IXUS and VXUS) | 0.06% | 19.3% | 20.4% | 9.5% | 15.2% | 2.63% |
What do international ETFs pay?
IEFA paid the highest trailing yield at 3.39%, and VXUS paid the lowest at 2.32%. The S&P 500 fund SPY yielded 0.99%. Trailing yield divides the last 12 months of dividends by the current price, so it describes the past year, not a promise.
15. IEFA yields 3.39%; VXUS yields 2.32%
A $10,000 position in IEFA paid about $339 over the last 12 months, against about $232 for VXUS (WealthyBud data · trailing-12-month distributions · October 2, 2026).
What this means for investors
Treat international funds as a diversifier, not a return bet. The median international fund returned 9.3% a year over ten years against 15.3% for SPY. In this window, holding them instead of SPY meant a lower return, and a later window can look different. See index fund statistics for how broad funds fit into a portfolio.
Pick the scope, then the fee. The 4 developed-markets funds and the 2 total-international funds differ in what they hold, including emerging markets. Within a scope, SCHF at 0.03% costs $3 per $10,000 a year against $32 for EFA. For the emerging-markets piece alone, see emerging markets ETF statistics.
Check country concentration. EFA put 25.16% in Japan. VXUS spreads across more countries and includes 26.21% emerging markets.
Expect currency effects. Returns here are in U.S. dollars, so they include currency moves. For the wider fund landscape, read ETF statistics.
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