iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY) belongs to the South Korea Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with EWY. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to EWY
EWY charges 0.59% annually. There is 1 ETF in the South Korea Equities category with a lower expense ratio, going as low as 0.09%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF | 0.09% | 1.39B | Nov 2017 | EWY vs FLKR | |
| PLUS Korea Manufacturing Core Alliance Index ETF | 0.65% | 1.85M | May 2026 | EWY vs KMCA | |
| PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF | 0.65% | 59.99M | Feb 2025 | EWY vs KDEF | |
| Matthews Korea Active ETF | 0.79% | 126.86M | Oct 2010 | EWY vs MKOR | |
| Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares | 1.32% | 1.38B | Apr 2013 | EWY vs KORU |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to EWY
EWY has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 88. No ETFs in the South Korea Equities category have higher risk-adjusted ranks; the top alternatives shown here go as high as 88.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF | 88 | 1.39B | Nov 2017 | EWY vs FLKR | |
| Matthews Korea Active ETF | 86 | 126.86M | Oct 2010 | EWY vs MKOR | |
| Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares | 84 | 1.38B | Apr 2013 | EWY vs KORU | |
| PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF | 11 | 59.99M | Feb 2025 | EWY vs KDEF |
Top Performing EWY Alternatives (YTD)
EWY is at 64.82% YTD. There are 2 ETFs in the South Korea Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 74.82%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares | 74.82% | 1.38B | Apr 2013 | EWY vs KORU | |
| Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF | 65.26% | 1.39B | Nov 2017 | EWY vs FLKR | |
| Matthews Korea Active ETF | 59.13% | 126.86M | Oct 2010 | EWY vs MKOR | |
| PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF | -13.02% | 59.99M | Feb 2025 | EWY vs KDEF |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to EWY
EWY has 54.30% 1-year volatility. There are 3 ETFs in the South Korea Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 45.23%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthews Korea Active ETF | 45.23% | 126.86M | Oct 2010 | EWY vs MKOR | |
| PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF | 51.82% | 59.99M | Feb 2025 | EWY vs KDEF | |
| Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF | 53.44% | 1.39B | Nov 2017 | EWY vs FLKR | |
| PLUS Korea Manufacturing Core Alliance Index ETF | 74.83% | 1.85M | May 2026 | EWY vs KMCA | |
| Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares | 159.66% | 1.38B | Apr 2013 | EWY vs KORU |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to EWY
EWY has a 1-year max drawdown of -34.21%. There are 2 ETFs in the South Korea Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -29.42%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthews Korea Active ETF | -29.42% | 126.86M | Oct 2010 | EWY vs MKOR | |
| Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF | -34.17% | 1.39B | Nov 2017 | EWY vs FLKR | |
| PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF | -48.41% | 59.99M | Feb 2025 | EWY vs KDEF | |
| Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X Shares | -80.90% | 1.38B | Apr 2013 | EWY vs KORU |
Other ETFs from iShares
The 10 most viewed iShares ETFs shown here include SGOV, IBIT, SOXX and span 14 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $869B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | Ultrashort Bond | 100 | 2.13% | 99.95B | May 2020 | EWY vs SGOV | |
| iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF | Cryptocurrency | 2 | -27.17% | 46.52B | Jan 2024 | EWY vs IBIT | |
| iShares Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 90 | 68.76% | 44.69B | Jul 2001 | EWY vs SOXX | |
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | S&P 500 | 78 | 11.75% | 869.20B | May 2000 | EWY vs IVV | |
| iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities, Dividend | 92 | 13.79% | 42.77B | Jun 2014 | EWY vs DGRO | |
| iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond | 7 | -3.18% | 41.54B | Jul 2002 | EWY vs TLT | |
| iShares Silver Trust | Silver, Precious Metals | 35 | -18.57% | 28.08B | Apr 2006 | EWY vs SLV | |
| iShares Gold Trust | Gold, Precious Metals | 28 | -6.14% | 59.74B | Jan 2005 | EWY vs IAU | |
| iShares Russell 2000 ETF | Small Cap Blend Equities | 85 | 20.84% | 80.11B | May 2000 | EWY vs IWM | |
| iShares MSCI ACWI ETF | Global Equities | 77 | 12.35% | 32.49B | Mar 2008 | EWY vs ACWI |
Often Compared With EWY
Investors most often compare EWY with SPY, EWJ, EWT. These 20 comparison targets span 14 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare EWY with Any Fund or Stock
Compare EWY with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair EWY with funds that move differently
iShares MSCI South Korea ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to EWY.
Explore EWY Diversifiers