RFEM Alternatives & Similar ETFs

First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Emerging Markets ETF (RFEM) 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 RFEM. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.

Cheapest Alternatives to RFEM

RFEM charges 0.95% annually. There are 127 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%	258.70M	Sep 2025	RFEM vs VEXC
SPEM	SPDR Portfolio Emerging Markets ETF	0.07%	16.81B	Mar 2007	RFEM vs SPEM
VWO	Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF	0.08%	163.30B	Mar 2005	RFEM vs VWO
IEMG	iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	0.09%	152.22B	Oct 2012	RFEM vs IEMG
SCHE	Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF	0.11%	12.59B	Jan 2010	RFEM vs SCHE

Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to RFEM

RFEM has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 76. There are 19 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 91.

Symbol	Name	Risk / Return Rank	AUM	Inception
EMEQ	Nomura Focused Emerging Markets Equity ETF	91	658.42M	Sep 2024	RFEM vs EMEQ
GEME	Pacific North of South Global Emerging Markets Equ...	90	366.05M	Jan 2025	RFEM vs GEME
EVLU	iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Value Factor ETF	90	—	Sep 2024	RFEM vs EVLU
EMDM	First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ...	90	38.85M	Mar 2023	RFEM vs EMDM
FTHF	First Trust Emerging Markets Human Flourishing ETF	87	123.28M	Oct 2023	RFEM vs FTHF

Top Performing RFEM Alternatives (YTD)

RFEM is at 17.85% YTD. There are 47 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 53.76%.

Symbol	Name	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
EMEQ	Nomura Focused Emerging Markets Equity ETF	53.76%	658.42M	Sep 2024	RFEM vs EMEQ
FTHF	First Trust Emerging Markets Human Flourishing ETF	34.68%	123.28M	Oct 2023	RFEM vs FTHF
STXE	Strive Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF	31.48%	139.63M	Jan 2023	RFEM vs STXE
EMSF	Matthews Emerging Markets Sustainable Future Activ...	30.73%	43.26M	Sep 2023	RFEM vs EMSF
GEME	Pacific North of South Global Emerging Markets Equ...	29.70%	366.05M	Jan 2025	RFEM vs GEME

Lowest Volatility Alternatives to RFEM

RFEM has 19.07% 1-year volatility. There are 36 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 8.64%.

Symbol	Name	Volatility 1Y	AUM	Inception
EJAN	Innovator Emerging Markets Power Buffer ETF Januar...	8.64%	144.99M	Jan 2020	RFEM vs EJAN
TJUN	FT Vest Emerging Markets Buffer ETF - June	10.70%	—	Jun 2025	RFEM vs TJUN
TDEC	FT Vest Emerging Markets Buffer ETF - December	11.07%	10.25M	Dec 2024	RFEM vs TDEC
EMDV	ProShares MSCI Emerging Markets Dividend Growers E...	11.68%	7.35M	Jan 2016	RFEM vs EMDV
RNEM	First Trust Emerging Markets Equity Select ETF	12.51%	17.22M	Jun 2017	RFEM vs RNEM

Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to RFEM

RFEM has a 1-year max drawdown of -11.65%. There are 27 ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -6.63%.

Symbol	Name	Max Drawdown 1Y	AUM	Inception
EJAN	Innovator Emerging Markets Power Buffer ETF Januar...	-6.63%	144.99M	Jan 2020	RFEM vs EJAN
EMDV	ProShares MSCI Emerging Markets Dividend Growers E...	-7.24%	7.35M	Jan 2016	RFEM vs EMDV
DEM	WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund	-7.89%	3.87B	Jul 2007	RFEM vs DEM
TDEC	FT Vest Emerging Markets Buffer ETF - December	-8.16%	10.25M	Dec 2024	RFEM vs TDEC
ECOW	Pacer Emerging Markets Cash Cows 100 ETF	-8.35%	217.49M	May 2019	RFEM vs ECOW

Other ETFs from First Trust

The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, AIRR and span 16 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $14B.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
CIBR	First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF	Cybersecurity, Technology Equities	39	28.86%	14.31B	Jul 2015	RFEM vs CIBR
GRID	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastru...	Infrastructure Equities, Alternative Energy Equities, Energy Equities	49	17.75%	11.67B	Nov 2009	RFEM vs GRID
AIRR	First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ET...	Building & Construction	54	19.12%	10.18B	Mar 2014	RFEM vs AIRR
NFTY	First Trust India NIFTY 50 Equal Weight ETF	India Equities, Equal Weight, Asia Pacific Equities	8	-5.91%	118.19M	Feb 2012	RFEM vs NFTY
FDL	First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fun...	Large Cap Value Equities, Dividend	92	18.16%	7.77B	Mar 2006	RFEM vs FDL
IGLD	FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	Gold, Derivative Income, Precious Metals	25	-6.56%	514.13M	Mar 2021	RFEM vs IGLD
FTXL	First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF	Semiconductors, Technology Equities	91	67.20%	1.27B	Sep 2016	RFEM vs FTXL
TDIV	First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund	Technology Equities, Dividend	43	14.88%	4.18B	Aug 2012	RFEM vs TDIV
QCLN	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index F...	Alternative Energy Equities, Energy Equities	39	10.48%	586.61M	Feb 2007	RFEM vs QCLN
KNG	FT Vest S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Target Income...	Dividend, S&P 500	44	8.70%	3.53B	Mar 2018	RFEM vs KNG

Often Compared With RFEM

Investors most often compare RFEM with FEM, ALTY, INDY. These 20 comparison targets span 10 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.

Symbol	Name	Category	Risk / Return Rank	YTD Return	AUM	Inception
FEM	First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund	Emerging Markets Equities	60	13.37%	749.05M	Apr 2011	RFEM vs FEM
ALTY	Global X Alternative Income ETF	Global Allocation, Dividend	90	7.43%	45.64M	Jul 2015	RFEM vs ALTY
INDY	iShares India 50 ETF	India Equities, Emerging Markets Equities, Asia Pacific Equities	5	-11.03%	563.62M	Nov 2009	RFEM vs INDY
AVEM	Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	60	16.96%	25.76B	Sep 2019	RFEM vs AVEM
EEM	iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	63	17.75%	29.16B	Apr 2003	RFEM vs EEM
EMCR	Xtrackers Emerging Markets Carbon Reduction and Cl...	Emerging Markets Equities	56	14.41%	56.42M	Dec 2018	RFEM vs EMCR
EMIF	iShares Emerging Markets Infrastructure ETF	Infrastructure Equities, Emerging Markets Equities	35	0.44%	13.22M	Jun 2009	RFEM vs EMIF
ROAM	Hartford Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	78	16.88%	106.24M	Feb 2015	RFEM vs ROAM
JPEM	J.P. Morgan Diversified Return Emerging Markets Eq...	Emerging Markets Equities	61	8.42%	389.42M	Jan 2015	RFEM vs JPEM
PIE	Invesco DWA Emerging Markets Momentum ETF	Momentum, Emerging Markets Equities	71	27.02%	228.29M	Dec 2007	RFEM vs PIE
TUR	iShares MSCI Turkey ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	27	11.93%	209.04M	Mar 2008	RFEM vs TUR
XCEM	Columbia EM Core ex-China ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	71	23.54%	1.81B	Sep 2015	RFEM vs XCEM
EMXC	iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	78	27.50%	23.65B	Jul 2017	RFEM vs EMXC
ROBT	First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence & Robot...	Artificial Intelligence, Technology Equities, Robotics	20	6.10%	724.78M	Feb 2018	RFEM vs ROBT
EDIV	SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend ETF	Emerging Markets Equities, Dividend	41	7.94%	1.21B	Feb 2011	RFEM vs EDIV
QAT	iShares MSCI Qatar ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	4	-4.44%	62.71M	Apr 2014	RFEM vs QAT
EMOP	AB Emerging Markets Opportunities ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	71	21.20%	1.96B	Jun 2025	RFEM vs EMOP
QEMM	SPDR MSCI Emerging Markets StrategicFactors ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	72	19.15%	52.79M	Jun 2014	RFEM vs QEMM
SDEM	Global X MSCI SuperDividend Emerging Markets ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	83	13.99%	45.23M	Mar 2015	RFEM vs SDEM
EWX	SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Small Cap ETF	Emerging Markets Equities	27	3.22%	640.04M	May 2008	RFEM vs EWX

Compare RFEM with Any Fund or Stock

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

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Diversifiers

Pair RFEM with funds that move differently

First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Emerging Markets ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to RFEM.

Explore RFEM Diversifiers

First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Emerging Markets ETF (RFEM) Alternatives