AIA vs. IH2O.L

Last updated Jun 14, 2026

AIA (iShares Asia 50 ETF) and IH2O.L (iShares Global Water UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - AIA is a Asia Pacific Equities fund tracking the S&P Asia 50, while IH2O.L is a Water Equities fund tracking the S&P Global Water TR. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, AIA returned 15.05%/yr vs 9.52%/yr for IH2O.L. At a 0.47 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. AIA charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.65%/yr for IH2O.L.

Performance

AIA vs. IH2O.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Asia 50 ETF (AIA) and iShares Global Water UCITS ETF (IH2O.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

AIA is traded in USD, while IH2O.L is traded in GBp. To make them comparable, the IH2O.L values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AIA achieves a 44.56% return, which is significantly higher than IH2O.L's -1.72% return. Over the past 10 years, AIA has outperformed IH2O.L with an annualized return of 15.05%, while IH2O.L has yielded a comparatively lower 9.52% annualized return.

AIA

• 1D: 0.54%
• 1M: 6.70%
• YTD: 44.56%
• 6M: 50.54%
• 1Y: 83.79%
• 3Y*: 34.57%
• 5Y*: 11.52%
• 10Y*: 15.05%

IH2O.L

• 1D: 0.98%
• 1M: 1.10%
• YTD: -1.72%
• 6M: -1.10%
• 1Y: 3.28%
• 3Y*: 7.92%
• 5Y*: 4.12%
• 10Y*: 9.52%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

AIA vs. IH2O.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
AIA iShares Asia 50 ETF	44.56%	47.79%	20.26%	4.32%	-24.08%	-10.91%	33.73%	22.21%	-14.22%	45.00%
IH2O.L iShares Global Water UCITS ETF	-1.72%	18.03%	4.26%	12.99%	-20.80%	31.05%	14.70%	34.62%	-10.76%	26.68%

Correlation

The correlation between AIA and IH2O.L is 0.34, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.34
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.35
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.37
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.41
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 20, 2007	0.47

The correlation between AIA and IH2O.L shifts across timeframes, from 0.34 (1 year) to 0.47 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

AIA vs. IH2O.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	AIA	IH2O.L
Technology	63.8%	1.3%
Financial Services	16.4%	-
Consumer Cyclical	8.6%	0.5%
Communication Services	7.4%	-
Industrials	2.0%	44.7%
Healthcare	0.8%	-
Energy	0.6%	1.8%
Real Estate	0.5%	0.2%
Basic Materials	-	6.0%
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Utilities	-	45.5%

Return for Risk

AIA vs. IH2O.L — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

AIA

AIA Risk / Return Rank: 91
AIA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 92
AIA Sortino Ratio Rank: 87
AIA Omega Ratio Rank: 89
AIA Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
AIA Martin Ratio Rank: 92

IH2O.L

IH2O.L Risk / Return Rank: 14
IH2O.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 15
IH2O.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 13
IH2O.L Omega Ratio Rank: 14
IH2O.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 14
IH2O.L Martin Ratio Rank: 15

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

AIA vs. IH2O.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Asia 50 ETF (AIA) and iShares Global Water UCITS ETF (IH2O.L). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	AIA	IH2O.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.89	0.18	+2.71
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.41	0.34	+3.07
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.49	1.04	+0.45
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	5.70	0.22	+5.48
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	19.76	0.54	+19.22

AIA vs. IH2O.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AIA Sharpe Ratio is 2.89, which is higher than the IH2O.L Sharpe Ratio of 0.18. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AIA and IH2O.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

AIA vs. IH2O.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AIA drawdown since its inception was -60.89%, smaller than the maximum IH2O.L drawdown of -77.04%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AIA and IH2O.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	AIA	IH2O.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-60.89%	-77.04%	+16.15%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.15%	-10.67%	-3.48%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-21.64%	-16.25%	-5.39%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-50.11%	-32.45%	-17.66%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-54.64%	-34.94%	-19.70%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.44%	-9.35%	+2.91%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-16.66%	-30.54%	+13.88%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.08%	4.41%	-0.33%

Volatility

AIA vs. IH2O.L - Volatility Comparison

iShares Asia 50 ETF (AIA) has a higher volatility of 14.34% compared to iShares Global Water UCITS ETF (IH2O.L) at 4.03%. This indicates that AIA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IH2O.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AIA	IH2O.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	14.34%	4.03%	+10.31%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	24.49%	10.62%	+13.87%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	27.93%	13.41%	+14.52%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	25.96%	16.48%	+9.48%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.78%	16.61%	+7.17%

AIA vs. IH2O.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

AIA has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than IH2O.L's 0.65% expense ratio.

Dividends

AIA vs. IH2O.L - Dividend Comparison

AIA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.73%, more than IH2O.L's 1.43% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AIA iShares Asia 50 ETF	1.73%	2.50%	2.78%	2.07%	2.59%	1.54%	1.11%	2.24%	2.49%	1.45%	2.29%	2.88%
IH2O.L iShares Global Water UCITS ETF	1.43%	1.35%	1.05%	1.21%	1.11%	1.67%	1.00%	1.43%	1.77%	1.52%	1.62%	1.61%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AIA and IH2O.L in my portfolio?

AIA and IH2O.L have a correlation of 0.34, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, AIA or IH2O.L?

On fees, AIA is cheaper at 0.50% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, AIA or IH2O.L?

AIA is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for IH2O.L.

What is the main difference between AIA and IH2O.L?

AIA is categorized as Asia Pacific Equities, while IH2O.L is Water Equities. AIA tracks S&P Asia 50, while IH2O.L tracks S&P Global Water TR. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for AIA and 0.65% for IH2O.L.