Nuveen ESG Emerging Markets Equity ETF (NUEM) 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 NUEM. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to NUEM
NUEM charges 0.35% annually. There are 15 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.07%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF | 0.07% | 216.60M | Sep 2025 | NUEM vs VEXC | |
| Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF | 0.08% | 159.90B | Mar 2005 | NUEM vs VWO | |
| Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF | 0.11% | 12.74B | Jan 2010 | NUEM vs SCHE | |
| SPDR Portfolio Emerging Markets ETF | 0.11% | 17.83B | Mar 2007 | NUEM vs SPEM | |
| Xtrackers Emerging Markets Carbon Reduction and Cl... | 0.15% | 58.19M | Dec 2018 | NUEM vs EMCR |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to NUEM
NUEM has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 70. There are 33 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 93.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific North of South Global Emerging Markets Equ... | 93 | 72.25M | Jan 2025 | NUEM vs GEME | |
| Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Hedged Equity ETF | 93 | 103.78M | Jun 2011 | NUEM vs DBEM | |
| iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Value Factor ETF | 92 | — | Sep 2024 | NUEM vs EVLU | |
| iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China ETF | 91 | 24.61B | Jul 2017 | NUEM vs EMXC | |
| Hartford Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF | 91 | 119.41M | Feb 2015 | NUEM vs ROAM |
Top Performing NUEM Alternatives (YTD)
NUEM is at 19.14% YTD. There are 32 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 41.72%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China ETF | 41.72% | 24.61B | Jul 2017 | NUEM vs EMXC | |
| Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Momentum ETF | 40.25% | 15.51M | Feb 2012 | NUEM vs EEMO | |
| Invesco DWA Emerging Markets Momentum ETF | 39.11% | 237.62M | Dec 2007 | NUEM vs PIE | |
| Pacific North of South Global Emerging Markets Equ... | 38.52% | 72.25M | Jan 2025 | NUEM vs GEME | |
| Columbia EM Core ex-China ETF | 38.32% | 1.98B | Sep 2015 | NUEM vs XCEM |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to NUEM
NUEM has 18.68% 1-year volatility. There are 34 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 7.54%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FT Vest Emerging Markets Buffer ETF - June | 7.54% | — | Jun 2025 | NUEM vs TJUN | |
| FT Vest Emerging Markets Buffer ETF - December | 10.09% | 10.25M | Dec 2024 | NUEM vs TDEC | |
| ProShares MSCI Emerging Markets Dividend Growers E... | 11.21% | 7.35M | Jan 2016 | NUEM vs EMDV | |
| SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend ETF | 12.19% | 1.25B | Feb 2011 | NUEM vs EDIV | |
| J.P. Morgan Diversified Return Emerging Markets Eq... | 12.96% | 390.16M | Jan 2015 | NUEM vs JPEM |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to NUEM
NUEM has a 1-year max drawdown of -11.56%. There are 26 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -6.49%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares Emerging Markets Dividend ETF | -6.49% | 1.28B | Feb 2012 | NUEM vs DVYE | |
| ProShares MSCI Emerging Markets Dividend Growers E... | -7.24% | 7.35M | Jan 2016 | NUEM vs EMDV | |
| WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund | -7.89% | 3.78B | Jul 2007 | NUEM vs DEM | |
| SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Small Cap ETF | -7.98% | 742.62M | May 2008 | NUEM vs EWX | |
| FT Vest Emerging Markets Buffer ETF - December | -8.16% | 10.25M | Dec 2024 | NUEM vs TDEC |
Other ETFs from Nuveen
The 10 most viewed Nuveen ETFs shown here include NULG, NPFI, NUDV and span 10 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $3B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities | 43 | 17.22% | 2.66B | Dec 2016 | NUEM vs NULG | |
| Nuveen Preferred And Income ETF | Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds | 76 | 1.62% | 166.00M | Mar 2024 | NUEM vs NPFI | |
| Nuveen ESG Dividend ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 55 | 9.63% | 45.56M | Sep 2021 | NUEM vs NUDV | |
| Nuveen Short-Term REIT ETF | REIT | 17 | 11.00% | 34.02M | Dec 2016 | NUEM vs NURE | |
| Nuveen AA-BBB CLO ETF | CLO | 54 | 1.96% | — | Dec 2024 | NUEM vs NCLO | |
| Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF | Small Cap Growth Equities | 50 | 12.88% | 1.32B | Dec 2016 | NUEM vs NUSC | |
| Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF | Large Cap Value Equities | 77 | 12.83% | 2.12B | Dec 2016 | NUEM vs NULV | |
| Nuveen ESG Mid-Cap Growth ETF | Mid Cap Growth Equities | 8 | -0.40% | 363.89M | Dec 2016 | NUEM vs NUMG | |
| Nuveen ESG U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | Intermediate Core Bond | 36 | 0.20% | 449.35M | Sep 2017 | NUEM vs NUBD | |
| Nuveen ESG Mid-Cap Value ETF | Mid Cap Value Equities, ESG | 56 | 9.74% | 440.58M | Dec 2016 | NUEM vs NUMV |
Often Compared With NUEM
Investors most often compare NUEM with ESGE, FRDM, SPY. These 20 comparison targets span 8 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare NUEM with Any Fund or Stock
Compare NUEM with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair NUEM with funds that move differently
Nuveen ESG Emerging Markets Equity ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to NUEM.
Explore NUEM Diversifiers