DFEM Alternatives & Similar ETFs

Dimensional Emerging Markets Core Equity 2 ETF (DFEM) belongs to the Emerging Markets Diversified category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with DFEM. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.

Cheapest Alternatives to DFEM

DFEM charges 0.39% annually. There are 9 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Diversified category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.09%.

Symbol	Name	Expense Ratio	AUM	Inception
IEMG	iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	0.09%	165.70B	Oct 2012	DFEM vs IEMG
BBEM	JPMorgan Betabuilders Emerging Markets Equity ETF	0.15%	851.97M	May 2023	DFEM vs BBEM
XCNY	SPDR S&P Emerging Markets ex-China ETF	0.15%	10.16M	Sep 2024	DFEM vs XCNY
DIEM	Franklin Emerging Market Core Dividend Tilt Index ...	0.19%	63.00M	Jun 2016	DFEM vs DIEM
STXE	Strive Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF	0.32%	151.08M	Jan 2023	DFEM vs STXE

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to DFEM

DFEM has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 66. There are 26 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Diversified category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 94.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	AUM	Inception
EMEQ	Nomura Focused Emerging Markets Equity ETF	94	658.42M	Sep 2024	DFEM vs EMEQ
EMDM	First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ...	90	35.39M	Mar 2023	DFEM vs EMDM
FRDM	Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF	90	2.93B	May 2019	DFEM vs FRDM
STXE	Strive Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF	89	151.08M	Jan 2023	DFEM vs STXE
HEEM	iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	88	296.41M	Sep 2014	DFEM vs HEEM

Top Performing DFEM Alternatives (YTD)

DFEM is at 20.81% YTD. There are 30 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Diversified category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 77.86%.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
EMEQ	Nomura Focused Emerging Markets Equity ETF	77.86%	658.42M	Sep 2024	DFEM vs EMEQ
FTHF	First Trust Emerging Markets Human Flourishing ETF	48.98%	130.92M	Oct 2023	DFEM vs FTHF
EMSF	Matthews Emerging Markets Sustainable Future Activ...	45.49%	48.02M	Sep 2023	DFEM vs EMSF
STXE	Strive Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF	44.03%	151.08M	Jan 2023	DFEM vs STXE
FRDM	Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF	39.87%	2.93B	May 2019	DFEM vs FRDM

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to DFEM

DFEM has 21.16% 1-year volatility. There are 13 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Diversified category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 15.09%.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	AUM	Inception
XC	WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-China Fund	15.09%	80.36M	Sep 2022	DFEM vs XC
UEVM	VictoryShares Emerging Markets Value Momentum ETF	15.84%	254.79M	Oct 2017	DFEM vs UEVM
DGS	WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund	16.88%	1.84B	Oct 2007	DFEM vs DGS
XCNY	SPDR S&P Emerging Markets ex-China ETF	18.05%	10.16M	Sep 2024	DFEM vs XCNY
AVEE	Avantis Emerging Markets Small Cap Equity ETF	18.30%	117.88M	Nov 2023	DFEM vs AVEE

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to DFEM

DFEM has a 1-year max drawdown of -12.12%. There are 7 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Diversified category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -9.79%.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	AUM	Inception
UEVM	VictoryShares Emerging Markets Value Momentum ETF	-9.79%	254.79M	Oct 2017	DFEM vs UEVM
DGS	WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund	-10.06%	1.84B	Oct 2007	DFEM vs DGS
AVEE	Avantis Emerging Markets Small Cap Equity ETF	-10.65%	117.88M	Nov 2023	DFEM vs AVEE
HEEM	iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	-10.83%	296.41M	Sep 2014	DFEM vs HEEM
EEMS	iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF	-10.87%	390.89M	Aug 2011	DFEM vs EEMS

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	59	8.60%	20.69B	Sep 2001	DFEM vs DFUS
DFIV	Dimensional International Value ETF	Foreign Large Cap Equities	68	8.43%	20.30B	Apr 1999	DFEM vs DFIV
DFAW	Dimensional World Equity ETF	Global Equities	67	10.74%	1.43B	Sep 2023	DFEM vs DFAW
DFAI	Dimensional International Core Equity Market ETF	Foreign Large Cap Equities	47	7.50%	16.75B	Nov 2020	DFEM vs DFAI
DFAC	Dimensional U.S. Core Equity 2 ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	66	10.46%	47.16B	Oct 2007	DFEM vs DFAC
DFSV	Dimensional US Small Cap Value ETF	Small Cap Value Equities	63	16.11%	7.92B	Feb 2022	DFEM vs DFSV
DFAU	Dimensional US Core Equity Market ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	62	8.85%	12.21B	Nov 2020	DFEM vs DFAU
DFAX	Dimensional World ex US Core Equity 2 ETF	Foreign Large Cap Equities, Actively Managed	58	11.80%	12.17B	Mar 2008	DFEM vs DFAX
DFAS	Dimensional U.S. Small Cap ETF	Small Cap Blend Equities	56	14.69%	14.90B	Jun 2021	DFEM vs DFAS
DFIC	DFA Dimensional International Core Equity 2 ETF	Foreign Large Cap Equities	50	7.68%	14.39B	Mar 2022	DFEM vs DFIC

Often Compared With DFEM

Investors most often compare DFEM with DFAE, AVEM, DFCEX. These 20 comparison targets span 7 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
DFAE	Dimensional Emerging Core Equity Market ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	66	21.56%	9.93B	Dec 2020	DFEM vs DFAE
AVEM	Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	68	23.75%	24.32B	Sep 2019	DFEM vs AVEM
DFCEX	DFA Emerging Markets Core Equity Fund	Emerging Markets Diversified	87	25.36%	—	Apr 2005	DFEM vs DFCEX
VWO	Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	49	10.55%	162.80B	Mar 2005	DFEM vs VWO
FNDE	Schwab Fundamental Emerging Markets Equity ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	59	11.56%	9.50B	Aug 2013	DFEM vs FNDE
SPEM	SPDR Portfolio Emerging Markets ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	51	11.15%	17.88B	Mar 2007	DFEM vs SPEM
VXUS	Vanguard Total International Stock ETF	Global Equities	55	12.51%	652.30B	Jan 2011	DFEM vs VXUS
AVDV	Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	74	13.23%	19.44B	Sep 2019	DFEM vs AVDV
XAR	SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF	Aerospace & Defense, Industrials Equities	40	14.20%	7.23B	Sep 2011	DFEM vs XAR
DUHP	DFA Dimensional US High Profitability ETF	Large Cap Blend Equities	46	7.22%	12.21B	Feb 2022	DFEM vs DUHP
OAEM	OneAscent Emerging Markets ETF	Emerging Markets Diversified	74	32.44%	125.98M	Sep 2022	DFEM vs OAEM
DFEMX	DFA Emerging Markets Portfolio	Emerging Markets Diversified	91	31.78%	—	Apr 1994	DFEM vs DFEMX
DFEV	Dimensional Emerging Markets Value ETF	Emerging Markets Diversified	80	25.45%	2.03B	Apr 2022	DFEM vs DFEV
AVXC	Avantis Emerging Markets ex-China Equity ETF	Emerging Markets Diversified	80	31.52%	369.56M	Mar 2024	DFEM vs AVXC
FFEM	Fidelity Fundamental Emerging Markets ETF	Emerging Markets Diversified	81	28.83%	—	—	DFEM vs FFEM
AVES	Avantis Emerging Markets Value ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	47	12.71%	1.40B	Sep 2021	DFEM vs AVES
MEMX	Matthews Emerging Markets Ex China Active ETF	Emerging Markets Diversified	83	29.86%	50.85M	Jan 2023	DFEM vs MEMX
EMM	Global X Emerging Markets ex-China ETF	Emerging Markets Diversified	76	30.43%	63.19M	Sep 2010	DFEM vs EMM
DFIS	Dimensional International Small Cap ETF	Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities	44	6.57%	5.97B	Mar 2022	DFEM vs DFIS
PEMX	Putnam Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF	Emerging Markets Diversified	87	38.87%	34.67M	May 2023	DFEM vs PEMX

Compare DFEM with Any Fund or Stock

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

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Diversifiers

Pair DFEM with funds that move differently

Dimensional Emerging Markets Core Equity 2 ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to DFEM.

Explore DFEM Diversifiers

Dimensional Emerging Markets Core Equity 2 ETF (DFEM) Alternatives