DFAE Alternatives & Similar ETFs

Dimensional Emerging Core Equity Market ETF (DFAE) belongs to the Emerging Markets Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with DFAE. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.

Cheapest Alternatives to DFAE

DFAE charges 0.35% annually. There are 16 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.07%.

Symbol	Name	Expense Ratio	AUM	Inception
VEXC	Vanguard Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF	0.07%	235.70M	Sep 2025	DFAE vs VEXC
SPEM	SPDR Portfolio Emerging Markets ETF	0.07%	17.88B	Mar 2007	DFAE vs SPEM
VWO	Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF	0.08%	162.80B	Mar 2005	DFAE vs VWO
SCHE	Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF	0.11%	12.80B	Jan 2010	DFAE vs SCHE
EMCR	Xtrackers Emerging Markets Carbon Reduction and Cl...	0.15%	58.93M	Dec 2018	DFAE vs EMCR

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to DFAE

DFAE has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 81. There are 16 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 93.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	AUM	Inception
GEME	Pacific North of South Global Emerging Markets Equ...	93	366.05M	Jan 2025	DFAE vs GEME
DBEM	Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Hedged Equity ETF	92	107.84M	Jun 2011	DFAE vs DBEM
EMXC	iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China ETF	92	26.40B	Jul 2017	DFAE vs EMXC
PIE	Invesco DWA Emerging Markets Momentum ETF	92	257.92M	Dec 2007	DFAE vs PIE
EVLU	iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Value Factor ETF	91	—	Sep 2024	DFAE vs EVLU

Top Performing DFAE Alternatives (YTD)

DFAE is at 29.00% YTD. There are 21 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 47.80%.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
EEMO	Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Momentum ETF	47.80%	21.60M	Feb 2012	DFAE vs EEMO
EMXC	iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China ETF	47.39%	26.40B	Jul 2017	DFAE vs EMXC
PIE	Invesco DWA Emerging Markets Momentum ETF	46.17%	257.92M	Dec 2007	DFAE vs PIE
XCEM	Columbia EM Core ex-China ETF	43.27%	2.09B	Sep 2015	DFAE vs XCEM
GEME	Pacific North of South Global Emerging Markets Equ...	39.92%	366.05M	Jan 2025	DFAE vs GEME

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to DFAE

DFAE has 20.97% 1-year volatility. There are 43 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 7.35%.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	AUM	Inception
TJUN	FT Vest Emerging Markets Buffer ETF - June	7.35%	—	Jun 2025	DFAE vs TJUN
TDEC	FT Vest Emerging Markets Buffer ETF - December	10.50%	10.25M	Dec 2024	DFAE vs TDEC
EMDV	ProShares MSCI Emerging Markets Dividend Growers E...	11.48%	7.21M	Jan 2016	DFAE vs EMDV
EDIV	SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend ETF	12.60%	1.28B	Feb 2011	DFAE vs EDIV
QAT	iShares MSCI Qatar ETF	13.27%	67.45M	Apr 2014	DFAE vs QAT

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to DFAE

DFAE has a 1-year max drawdown of -12.80%. There are 33 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -4.47%.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	AUM	Inception
TJUN	FT Vest Emerging Markets Buffer ETF - June	-4.47%	—	Jun 2025	DFAE vs TJUN
DVYE	iShares Emerging Markets Dividend ETF	-7.10%	1.21B	Feb 2012	DFAE vs DVYE
EMDV	ProShares MSCI Emerging Markets Dividend Growers E...	-7.24%	7.21M	Jan 2016	DFAE vs EMDV
DEM	WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund	-7.89%	4.03B	Jul 2007	DFAE vs DEM
EWX	SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Small Cap ETF	-7.98%	747.02M	May 2008	DFAE vs EWX

Other ETFs from Dimensional

The 10 most viewed Dimensional ETFs shown here include DFUS, DFIV, DFAW and span 6 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $47B.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
DFUS	Dimensional U.S. Equity Market ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	69	10.45%	20.69B	Sep 2001	DFAE vs DFUS
DFIV	Dimensional International Value ETF	Foreign Large Cap Equities	78	11.48%	20.30B	Apr 1999	DFAE vs DFIV
DFAW	Dimensional World Equity ETF	Global Equities	77	12.92%	1.43B	Sep 2023	DFAE vs DFAW
DFAI	Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF	Foreign Large Cap Equities	57	10.63%	16.75B	Nov 2020	DFAE vs DFAI
DFAC	Dimensional U.S. Core Equity 2 ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	74	11.90%	47.16B	Oct 2007	DFAE vs DFAC
DFSV	Dimensional US Small Cap Value ETF	Small Cap Value Equities	66	16.63%	7.92B	Feb 2022	DFAE vs DFSV
DFAU	Dimensional US Core Equity Market ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	70	10.57%	12.21B	Nov 2020	DFAE vs DFAU
DFAX	Dimensional World ex US Core Equity 2 ETF	Foreign Large Cap Equities, Actively Managed	72	16.39%	12.17B	Mar 2008	DFAE vs DFAX
DFAS	Dimensional U.S. Small Cap ETF	Small Cap Blend Equities	60	15.74%	14.90B	Jun 2021	DFAE vs DFAS
DFIC	DFA Dimensional International Core Equity 2 ETF	Foreign Large Cap Equities	61	10.96%	14.39B	Mar 2022	DFAE vs DFIC

Often Compared With DFAE

Investors most often compare DFAE with DFEM, AVEM, DFEMX. These 20 comparison targets span 10 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
DFEM	Dimensional Emerging Markets Core Equity 2 ETF	Emerging Markets Diversified	81	28.16%	9.44B	Apr 2022	DFAE vs DFEM
AVEM	Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	82	30.91%	24.32B	Sep 2019	DFAE vs AVEM
DFEMX	DFA Emerging Markets Portfolio	Emerging Markets Diversified	90	31.40%	—	Apr 1994	DFAE vs DFEMX
VXUS	Vanguard Total International Stock ETF	Global Equities	67	16.04%	652.30B	Jan 2011	DFAE vs VXUS
XSOE	WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterpr...	Emerging Markets Equities	82	30.99%	2.27B	Dec 2014	DFAE vs XSOE
ECNS	iShares MSCI China Small-Cap ETF	Asia Pacific Equities, China Equities	11	-8.11%	67.08M	Sep 2010	DFAE vs ECNS
FRDM	Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF	Emerging Markets Diversified	93	49.24%	2.93B	May 2019	DFAE vs FRDM
VT	Vanguard Total World Stock ETF	Global Equities	70	12.36%	95.30B	Jun 2008	DFAE vs VT
VEE.TO	Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap Index ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	70	17.47%	4.23B	Nov 2011	DFAE vs VEE.TO
DFSE	Dimensional Emerging Markets Sustainability Core 1...	Emerging Markets Diversified	67	23.03%	637.02M	Nov 2022	DFAE vs DFSE
UNCRY	UniCredit SpA ADR		77	13.27%	—	—	DFAE vs UNCRY
AVIV	Avantis International Large Cap Value ETF	Foreign Large Cap Equities, Large Cap Value Equities, Actively Managed	72	12.03%	1.33B	Sep 2021	DFAE vs AVIV
VTV	Vanguard Value ETF	Large Cap Value Equities	87	15.12%	245.00B	Jan 2004	DFAE vs VTV
DFETX	DFA Emerging Markets II Portfolio	Emerging Markets Diversified	90	31.43%	—	Aug 1997	DFAE vs DFETX
VUG	Vanguard Growth ETF	Large Cap Growth Equities	37	5.76%	393.80B	Jan 2004	DFAE vs VUG
AEMU.L	Amundi Index MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF DR - ...	Emerging Markets Equities	84	31.17%	11.39B	Feb 2021	DFAE vs AEMU.L
DISV	Dimensional International Small Cap Value ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	66	9.89%	4.85B	Mar 2022	DFAE vs DISV
DFEV	Dimensional Emerging Markets Value ETF	Emerging Markets Diversified	90	32.51%	2.03B	Apr 2022	DFAE vs DFEV
AVEEX	Avantis Emerging Markets Equity Fund	Emerging Markets Diversified	85	27.08%	—	Dec 2019	DFAE vs AVEEX
DFCEX	DFA Emerging Markets Core Equity Fund	Emerging Markets Diversified	85	25.26%	—	Apr 2005	DFAE vs DFCEX

Compare DFAE with Any Fund or Stock

Compare DFAE with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.

Symbol name

Diversifiers

Pair DFAE with funds that move differently

Dimensional Emerging Core Equity Market ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to DFAE.

Explore DFAE Diversifiers

Dimensional Emerging Core Equity Market ETF (DFAE) Alternatives