AAXJ vs. BKEM
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF (AAXJ) and BNY Mellon Emerging Markets Equity ETF (BKEM).
AAXJ and BKEM are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. AAXJ is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index. It was launched on Aug 13, 2008. BKEM is a passively managed fund by BNY Mellon that tracks the performance of the Morningstar Emerging Markets Large Cap Index. It was launched on Apr 24, 2020. Both AAXJ and BKEM are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
AAXJ vs. BKEM - Performance Comparison
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AAXJ vs. BKEM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AAXJ iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF | 4.37% | 31.53% | 10.41% | 4.79% | -20.35% | -5.73% | 44.49% |
BKEM BNY Mellon Emerging Markets Equity ETF | 6.61% | 30.55% | 7.53% | 8.68% | -19.43% | -3.91% | 47.53% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AAXJ achieves a 4.37% return, which is significantly lower than BKEM's 6.61% return.
AAXJ
- 1D
- 0.93%
- 1M
- -7.35%
- YTD
- 4.37%
- 6M
- 6.72%
- 1Y
- 33.29%
- 3Y*
- 14.88%
- 5Y*
- 2.66%
- 10Y*
- 7.96%
BKEM
- 1D
- 0.74%
- 1M
- -7.07%
- YTD
- 6.61%
- 6M
- 9.15%
- 1Y
- 34.00%
- 3Y*
- 16.18%
- 5Y*
- 3.78%
- 10Y*
- —
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AAXJ vs. BKEM - Expense Ratio Comparison
AAXJ has a 0.68% expense ratio, which is higher than BKEM's 0.11% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
AAXJ vs. BKEM — Risk / Return Rank
AAXJ
BKEM
AAXJ vs. BKEM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF (AAXJ) and BNY Mellon Emerging Markets Equity ETF (BKEM). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| AAXJ | BKEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.61 | 1.70 | -0.09 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.22 | 2.28 | -0.06 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 1.33 | -0.01 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.48 | 2.64 | -0.15 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.35 | 9.80 | -0.44 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| AAXJ | BKEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.61 | 1.70 | -0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.14 | 0.21 | -0.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.40 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.23 | 0.59 | -0.35 |
Correlation
The correlation between AAXJ and BKEM is 0.98, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
AAXJ vs. BKEM - Dividend Comparison
AAXJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.73%, less than BKEM's 1.77% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AAXJ iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF | 1.73% | 1.81% | 1.86% | 1.95% | 1.74% | 2.21% | 1.06% | 1.83% | 2.10% | 1.99% | 1.77% | 2.44% |
BKEM BNY Mellon Emerging Markets Equity ETF | 1.77% | 2.25% | 2.76% | 3.02% | 3.15% | 2.22% | 1.78% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
AAXJ vs. BKEM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AAXJ drawdown since its inception was -49.37%, which is greater than BKEM's maximum drawdown of -39.48%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AAXJ and BKEM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AAXJ | BKEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -49.37% | -39.48% | -9.89% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.66% | -13.11% | -0.55% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -41.04% | -36.65% | -4.39% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.52% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.76% | -9.29% | -0.47% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.14% | -16.41% | +2.27% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.62% | 3.53% | +0.09% |
Volatility
AAXJ vs. BKEM - Volatility Comparison
iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF (AAXJ) and BNY Mellon Emerging Markets Equity ETF (BKEM) have volatilities of 9.10% and 9.18%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AAXJ | BKEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.10% | 9.18% | -0.08% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.06% | 14.68% | +0.38% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.72% | 20.08% | +0.64% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.42% | 18.31% | +1.11% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.00% | 18.87% | +1.13% |