PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF) belongs to the Aerospace & Defense category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with KDEF. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to KDEF
KDEF charges 0.65% annually. There are 14 ETFs in the Aerospace & Defense category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.35%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF | 0.35% | 6.22B | Sep 2011 | KDEF vs XAR | |
| Themes Transatlantic Defense ETF | 0.35% | — | Oct 2024 | KDEF vs NATO | |
| Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF | 0.35% | 4.24M | Feb 2026 | KDEF vs XDEF | |
| iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 0.38% | 14.23B | May 2006 | KDEF vs ITA | |
| U.S. Defense ETF | 0.45% | 2.95M | Apr 2026 | KDEF vs DUTY |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to KDEF
KDEF has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 10. There are 10 ETFs in the Aerospace & Defense category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 47.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF | 47 | 24.90M | Jan 2023 | KDEF vs GCAD | |
| Pacer Solactive Whitney Future of Warfare ETF | 34 | 15.56M | Dec 2024 | KDEF vs FOWF | |
| Procure Space ETF | 34 | 1.12B | Apr 2019 | KDEF vs UFO | |
| iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 29 | 14.23B | May 2006 | KDEF vs ITA | |
| Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF | 28 | 8.22B | Oct 2005 | KDEF vs PPA |
Top Performing KDEF Alternatives (YTD)
KDEF is at -12.28% YTD. There are 17 ETFs in the Aerospace & Defense category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 16.02%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truth Social American Security & Defense ETF | 16.02% | 12.67M | Dec 2025 | KDEF vs TSSD | |
| Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF | 15.30% | 24.90M | Jan 2023 | KDEF vs GCAD | |
| Procure Space ETF | 13.16% | 1.12B | Apr 2019 | KDEF vs UFO | |
| Pacer Solactive Whitney Future of Warfare ETF | 8.60% | 15.56M | Dec 2024 | KDEF vs FOWF | |
| Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF | 7.88% | 8.22B | Oct 2005 | KDEF vs PPA |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to KDEF
KDEF has 48.14% 1-year volatility. There are 15 ETFs in the Aerospace & Defense category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 14.60%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacer Solactive Whitney Future of Warfare ETF | 14.60% | 15.56M | Dec 2024 | KDEF vs FOWF | |
| Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF | 20.45% | 8.22B | Oct 2005 | KDEF vs PPA | |
| Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF | 20.67% | 24.90M | Jan 2023 | KDEF vs GCAD | |
| Themes Transatlantic Defense ETF | 21.79% | — | Oct 2024 | KDEF vs NATO | |
| iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 22.11% | 14.23B | May 2006 | KDEF vs ITA |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to KDEF
KDEF has a 1-year max drawdown of -42.23%. There are 12 ETFs in the Aerospace & Defense category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -10.08%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacer Solactive Whitney Future of Warfare ETF | -10.08% | 15.56M | Dec 2024 | KDEF vs FOWF | |
| Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF | -13.71% | 8.22B | Oct 2005 | KDEF vs PPA | |
| Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF | -14.96% | 24.90M | Jan 2023 | KDEF vs GCAD | |
| iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF | -15.69% | 4.11B | May 2025 | KDEF vs IDEF | |
| iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | -15.82% | 14.23B | May 2006 | KDEF vs ITA |
Other ETFs from PLUS
The 1 most viewed PLUS ETFs shown here include KMCA and span 1 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $2M.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLUS Korea Manufacturing Core Alliance Index ETF | South Korea Equities | — | — | 1.85M | May 2026 | KDEF vs KMCA |
Often Compared With KDEF
Investors most often compare KDEF with EWY, SHLD.TO, FLKR. These 20 comparison targets span 7 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare KDEF with Any Fund or Stock
Compare KDEF with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair KDEF with funds that move differently
PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to KDEF.
Explore KDEF Diversifiers