iShares MSCI ACWI ETF (ACWI) belongs to the Global Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with ACWI. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to ACWI
ACWI charges 0.32% annually. There are 22 ETFs in the Global Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.05%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | 0.05% | 652.30B | Jan 2011 | ACWI vs VXUS | |
| Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | 0.06% | 95.30B | Jun 2008 | ACWI vs VT | |
| SPDR Portfolio MSCI Global Stock Market ETF | 0.09% | 1.84B | Feb 2012 | ACWI vs SPGM | |
| Invesco MSCI Global Climate 500 ETF | 0.10% | 1.57B | Jun 2024 | ACWI vs KLMT | |
| SPDR MSCI ACWI Climate Paris Aligned ETF | 0.12% | 192.94M | Nov 2014 | ACWI vs NZAC |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to ACWI
ACWI has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 63. There are 34 ETFs in the Global Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 93.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambria Foreign Shareholder Yield ETF | 93 | 665.65M | Dec 2013 | ACWI vs FYLD | |
| Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF | 92 | 89.32M | Jan 2018 | ACWI vs WLDR | |
| Avantis All Equity Markets Value ETF | 90 | 394.74M | Jun 2023 | ACWI vs AVGV | |
| Altrius Global Dividend ETF | 87 | 16.88M | Sep 2022 | ACWI vs DIVD | |
| Tweedy, Browne Insider + Value ETF | 86 | 314.33M | Dec 2024 | ACWI vs COPY |
Top Performing ACWI Alternatives (YTD)
ACWI is at 11.23% YTD. There are 51 ETFs in the Global Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 35.68%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VistaShares Electrification Supercycle ETF | 35.68% | 64.26M | Oct 2025 | ACWI vs POW | |
| Tema Electrification ETF | 30.34% | 693.48M | Dec 2024 | ACWI vs VOLT | |
| Affinity World Leaders Equity ETF | 25.05% | 89.32M | Jan 2018 | ACWI vs WLDR | |
| AB Disruptors ETF | 23.84% | 3.13B | Mar 2023 | ACWI vs FWD | |
| Axs Green Alpha ETF | 21.13% | 57.43M | Sep 2022 | ACWI vs NXTE |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to ACWI
ACWI has 13.72% 1-year volatility. There are 44 ETFs in the Global Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 3.70%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Procure Disaster Recovery Strategy ETF | 3.70% | 236.11M | May 2022 | ACWI vs FIXT | |
| SPDR SSgA Income Allocation ETF | 6.00% | 71.86M | Apr 2012 | ACWI vs INKM | |
| iShares MSCI Global Min Vol Factor ETF | 8.05% | 3.27B | Oct 2011 | ACWI vs ACWV | |
| iShares Disciplined Volatility Equity Active ETF | 9.48% | 1.71B | Sep 2025 | ACWI vs BDVL | |
| AdvisorShares STAR Global Buy-Write ETF | 9.64% | 89.41M | Sep 2012 | ACWI vs VEGA |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to ACWI
ACWI has a 1-year max drawdown of -9.73%. There are 40 ETFs in the Global Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -3.02%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Procure Disaster Recovery Strategy ETF | -3.02% | 236.11M | May 2022 | ACWI vs FIXT | |
| SPDR SSgA Income Allocation ETF | -4.55% | 71.86M | Apr 2012 | ACWI vs INKM | |
| WBI BullBear Yield 3000 ETF | -5.06% | 31.79M | Aug 2014 | ACWI vs WBIG | |
| Cambria Foreign Shareholder Yield ETF | -5.67% | 665.65M | Dec 2013 | ACWI vs FYLD | |
| Pacer Cash Cows Fund of Funds ETF | -5.68% | 98.67M | May 2019 | ACWI vs HERD |
Other ETFs from iShares
The 10 most viewed iShares ETFs shown here include SGOV, IBIT, SOXX and span 15 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $894B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | Ultrashort Bond | 100 | 1.95% | 97.69B | May 2020 | ACWI vs SGOV | |
| iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF | Cryptocurrency | 1 | -26.71% | 46.82B | Jan 2024 | ACWI vs IBIT | |
| iShares Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 91 | 76.35% | 47.60B | Jul 2001 | ACWI vs SOXX | |
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | S&P 500 | 66 | 10.73% | 894.38B | May 2000 | ACWI vs IVV | |
| iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities, Dividend | 88 | 12.80% | 42.05B | Jun 2014 | ACWI vs DGRO | |
| iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond | 15 | -1.19% | 42.18B | Jul 2002 | ACWI vs TLT | |
| iShares Silver Trust | Silver, Precious Metals | 26 | -21.78% | 28.37B | Apr 2006 | ACWI vs SLV | |
| iShares Gold Trust | Gold, Precious Metals | 21 | -7.85% | 60.94B | Jan 2005 | ACWI vs IAU | |
| iShares Russell 2000 ETF | Small Cap Blend Equities | 72 | 20.58% | 83.34B | May 2000 | ACWI vs IWM | |
| iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF | Momentum, Large Cap Blend Equities | 47 | 21.46% | 27.36B | Apr 2013 | ACWI vs MTUM |
Often Compared With ACWI
Investors most often compare ACWI with SPY, VWRL.L, ACWX. These 20 comparison targets span 7 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare ACWI with Any Fund or Stock
Compare ACWI with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair ACWI with funds that move differently
iShares MSCI ACWI ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to ACWI.
Explore ACWI Diversifiers