IEFA ETF guide. Cost, countries and top holdings in one place.
IEFA tracks the MSCI EAFE IMI Index and holds about 2,600 stocks of every size in developed countries in Europe, Australasia and the Far East. See what it costs to hold each year, what it pays, what sits inside and how it has returned.
One ticker.
What IEFA is, in plain words.
IEFA tracks the MSCI EAFE IMI Index and holds about 2,600 stocks of every size in developed countries in Europe, Australasia and the Far East. The fund is managed by iShares, trades on NYSE Arca in U.S. dollars and launched on Oct 18, 2012. On Nov 9, 2026 it held $192.79B in net assets and its expense ratio was 0.07%. IEFA is an iShares fund of developed market stocks in Europe, Australasia and the Far East.
Investors search for IEFA ETF because they want a clear answer to four practical questions. What does it cost to hold each year, what does it pay, what is actually inside, and how does it fit in a Roth IRA, a traditional IRA or 401(k), or a taxable account. This guide answers each one with dated figures from the issuer, and marks anything the issuer page does not publish as Not captured.
Key takeaways
- What it is. IEFA tracks the MSCI EAFE IMI Index and holds about 2,600 stocks of every size in developed countries in Europe, Australasia and the Far East.
- Cost. Expense ratio 0.07%, about $7 a year on $10,000.
- Income. Trailing yield 2.45%, paid semi-annual.
- Risk. Foreign stocks can fall sharply in a weak year, and exchange rates can add to the loss.
It suits you if
- You want companies outside the United States in one fund.
- You already hold a U.S. stock fund and want to add other countries.
- You accept currency swings and a different mix of countries than your home market.
Look elsewhere if
- You want U.S. companies in the same fund.
- You want every foreign holding hedged back to the dollar.
- You cannot accept the extra swings that come from exchange rates and foreign markets.
What IEFA holds.
The 10 largest stock positions inside IEFA, as of Nov 6, 2026. Pick a number to see how much of the fund they make up.
The ten largest holdings, the country split and the sector split are shown below from the issuer files. Foreign companies are listed in their home market, so the table can include names you may not know. Each weight is a share of the fund stock holdings.
IEFA yield and distributions.
IEFA pays distributions in Jun and Dec, which makes it a semi-annual payer. The issuer page showed a SEC yield of 2.45% dated Sep 30, 2026. The most recent payment in the log was $1.5781 per share with an ex-date of Jun 15, 2026.
A yield is a snapshot, not a promise. The payment moves each period with the dividends and interest the fund receives, and some years include capital gains or return of capital that do not repeat. Read the year by year table below before building a plan around a single quarter. If you reinvest distributions, the payment still counts as income for tax purposes in a taxable account.
Recent distributions per share
Total distribution per share is shown on each bar. A tinted bar includes a reinvested year end amount.
Income estimate at the current yield
Uses the 2.45% yield dated Sep 30, 2026. Actual payments move each period.
Every payment, and the year by year record.
The ex-date is the cut-off, so you must hold shares before it to receive that payment. Amounts are per share in U.S. dollars from the issuer page.
Payment log
| Ex-date | Payable | Cash | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 15, 2026 | — | $1.57806 | $1.57806 |
| Dec 16, 2025 | — | $1.71059 | $1.71059 |
| Jun 16, 2025 | — | $1.46651 | $1.46651 |
| Dec 17, 2024 | — | $1.13048 | $1.13048 |
| Jun 11, 2024 | — | $1.30964 | $1.30964 |
| Dec 20, 2023 | — | $0.96781 | $0.96781 |
| Jun 7, 2023 | — | $1.28396 | $1.28396 |
| Dec 13, 2022 | — | $0.33457 | $0.33457 |
| Jun 9, 2022 | — | $1.33194 | $1.33194 |
The issuer reports the tax character of each payout after year end. Use the Form 1099-DIV from your broker for your own return.
What IEFA costs to hold each year.
The expense ratio of 0.07% means the fund keeps about $7 a year for every $10,000 you hold. That cost is taken out of the fund price in small daily amounts, so you never see a bill, but it lowers your return every year. Over ten years on a flat $10,000 the expense ratio adds up to roughly $70, before any growth.
Two other costs sit outside the expense ratio. Trading commissions depend on your brokerage, and most large U.S. brokerages now charge nothing to buy ETFs. The bid and ask spread is a small cost you pay each time you trade, and for the largest funds it is usually tiny.
Expense ratio cost at common amounts
| Amount held | Per month | Per year | Over 10 years, flat | Hypothetical 2.00% fund, per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $0.06 | $0.70 | $7 | $20 |
| $5,000 | $0.29 | $3.50 | $35 | $100 |
| $10,000 | $0.58 | $7.00 | $70 | $200 |
| $25,000 | $1.46 | $17.50 | $175 | $500 |
| $50,000 | $2.92 | $35.00 | $350 | $1,000 |
| $100,000 | $5.83 | $70.00 | $700 | $2,000 |
| $250,000 | $14.58 | $175.00 | $1,750 | $5,000 |
Flat estimates at the current expense ratio with no growth and no change in fee. Trading commissions depend on your brokerage and are not included. The 2.00% fund is a hypothetical used for scale.
Where the cost shows up
- Not as a bill. The share price and returns are already lower by the expense ratio.
- Trading cost shows up as the bid and ask spread each time you buy or sell, and as a commission if your broker charges one.
- In a taxable account, dividends are reported on Form 1099-DIV and taxed in the year they are paid.
Expense ratio cost calculator
Flat estimate at an expense ratio of 0.07% with no growth and no change in fee. It shows scale only, not a forecast.
How IEFA has returned.
Calendar year returns were Not captured from the issuer page for this fund, so this guide shows the period returns the issuer publishes. Returns include fees. Past performance does not guarantee future results, and a single period tells you little about the next one.
Annualised NAV returns from the issuer, as of Sep 30, 2026. They include fees.
Past performance does not guarantee future results. Gaps are shown as Not captured because the issuer page did not publish that period.
What $10,000 became over 5 years
Using the annualised NAV return from the issuer, with distributions reinvested.
An illustration of past figures, not a forecast. It ignores taxes and trading costs.
What $10,000 became, by starting point
Each row starts a different number of years before Sep 30, 2026 and uses the issuer annualised NAV return for that period.
IEFA fund facts in one place.
Every figure comes from the issuer for the date shown. A line reads Not captured when it is not published on the pages we use.
Where the companies are based.
Country shares of the fund holdings as published by iShares in the holdings file dated Nov 06, 2026.
Sector exposure
What the ride can look like.
IEFA can lose value, and the period returns from the issuer show the range so far.
- Market risk. The fund falls when foreign stock markets fall.
- Currency risk. The fund holds shares priced in yen, euros, pounds and other currencies and does not hedge them. A stronger U.S. dollar lowers the dollar value of the holdings.
- Country and policy risk. Changes in foreign government policy, limits on foreign ownership and market closures can hit the fund in ways a U.S. fund does not face.
- Concentration. A few countries or companies can carry a high share of the weight.
- Distribution risk. Payments change each period with company dividends, exchange rates and foreign tax, and are not guaranteed.
How investors use IEFA.
IEFA is most often used as the international part of a stock portfolio, next to a U.S. fund. An investor who owns it is choosing to spread money across other countries, which can lead or lag the U.S. market for years.
Many investors pair one international fund with a U.S. fund and a bond fund, and rebalance now and then. How much to hold outside the United States is a choice worth checking against your own situation.
Before buying IEFA, check four things on the issuer page. First, confirm the expense ratio matches the figure on this page, since fees can change when an issuer cuts costs. Second, confirm the fund is eligible for the account you plan to use. Third, read the latest tax breakdown if you hold it in a taxable account. Fourth, look at the bid and ask spread on the day you trade, since a wide spread is a cost that the expense ratio does not show.
Several comparable funds exist, with expense ratios of VXUS at 0.05%, IXUS at 0.07%, VEA at 0.03%, VWO at 0.06%, so weigh cost together with what each fund holds, how it pays and the account you use.
No single fund is right for everyone, and this guide describes the product rather than recommending it. The figures come from the issuer and are dated. Distribution amounts, yields and holdings change, and past returns do not predict future returns. For a decision with large amounts of money, read the prospectus and the shareholder reports, and consider speaking with a licensed adviser about your own situation.
IEFA against similar funds.
The same fund type from other issuers. Open a comparison for holdings overlap and returns.
| Fund | Issuer | Expense ratio | Net assets | Trailing yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IEFA (this fund) | iShares | 0.07% | $192.79B | 2.45% |
| VXUS | Vanguard | 0.05% | $160.6B | 2.42% |
| IXUS | iShares | 0.07% | $58.01B | 2.13% |
| VEA | Vanguard | 0.03% | $228.8B | 2.46% |
| VWO | Vanguard | 0.06% | $117.5B | 2.19% |
| IEMG | iShares | 0.09% | $146.12B | 1.75% |
IEFA is part of the International ETFs category on this site, grouped here with VXUS, IXUS, VEA. Each comparison page lines up two funds on cost, holdings overlap, yield and returns, so you can see what separates them.
Where IEFA fits.
Qualified withdrawals from a Roth IRA are tax free, so dividends and gains compound without a yearly tax bill and the expense ratio is the main drag you carry. IEFA is an ordinary exchange traded fund, so most brokerages let you hold it in a Roth IRA.
Tax is deferred until you withdraw, and withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income. A 401(k) offers only the funds on its menu, so check whether IEFA or a similar fund is in your plan.
Many foreign governments tax dividends paid to foreign holders, and the fund receives the dividend after that tax. In a taxable account the foreign tax paid by the fund may be claimed as a credit on your return, which is reported on Form 1099-DIV. Dividends that meet the holding rules are taxed as qualified dividends at lower long term rates, the rest is taxed as ordinary income, and gains are taxed when you sell. Inside a Roth IRA or traditional IRA the foreign tax credit is usually not available. Your broker reports the amounts on Form 1099-DIV after year end, and those figures are what count on your return. ETFs also tend to pass out few capital gains because of how shares are created and redeemed.
General education, not tax advice. Rules change, so confirm with the issuer tax documents or an adviser.
Buying IEFA in five steps.
- Pick the account. Roth IRA, traditional IRA, 401(k) or taxable. Most brokerages let IRAs hold ETFs like this one.
- Search the ticker. Type IEFA in your brokerage and choose the U.S. listing, priced in U.S. dollars.
- Use a limit order. It sets the most you will pay and avoids surprises at the open.
- Check the cost. Most large U.S. brokerages charge no commission on ETFs, and some charge a small fee per trade.
- Set a routine. Add money on a schedule and decide whether to reinvest distributions.
Terms used on this page.
Where to go next from IEFA.
Every IEFA link in one place. Start with the category, then the head to head comparisons, then the guides for other funds and the tools.
CategoryInternational ETFsEvery fund in this category, with a comparison page for every pair.Open the category →IEFA comparison pages 5
Guides for similar funds
More U.S. fund guides
Calculators for IEFA investors
Other ETF categories
Guides and research
Common questions about IEFA.
What is IEFA?
IEFA tracks the MSCI EAFE IMI Index and holds about 2,600 stocks of every size in developed countries in Europe, Australasia and the Far East. It is managed by iShares, trades on NYSE Arca in U.S. dollars and launched on Oct 18, 2012.
What is the expense ratio of IEFA?
The expense ratio of IEFA on the issuer page is 0.07%, or about $7 a year per $10,000 invested.
What is the IEFA dividend yield?
The issuer page showed a SEC yield of 2.45% on Sep 30, 2026 for IEFA. Yields change, so check the issuer page for the current figure.
How often does IEFA pay a dividend?
IEFA pays distributions in Jun and Dec. The latest payment in the log was $1.5781 per share.
What does IEFA hold?
IEFA holds 2,624 positions. Its largest positions are ASML Holding, Roche Holding, HSBC Holdings.
Can I hold IEFA in a Roth IRA or 401(k)?
Yes for IRAs. IEFA is an ordinary exchange traded fund, so most brokerages let you hold it in a Roth IRA or a traditional IRA. Whether it is available in a 401(k) depends on the funds your plan offers.
How has IEFA performed?
The issuer period returns are shown in the returns section. Returns include fees, and past performance does not guarantee future results.
IEFA or IEMG, what is the difference?
The two funds do a similar job and differ in cost, issuer and holdings. IEFA has an expense ratio of 0.07% and IEMG has an expense ratio of 0.09%. Open the IEFA vs IEMG comparison for holdings overlap, yield and returns side by side.
How is IEFA taxed in a taxable account?
Dividends are reported on Form 1099-DIV, which also shows any foreign tax the fund paid that you may claim as a credit. Qualified dividends are taxed at long term rates and the rest as ordinary income. The split changes by year, so use the figures your broker reports.
Source, iShares fund page. All figures are dated as shown. This guide is for education and is not personal advice or an offer to sell.