ASEA vs. IEMG

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Global X FTSE Southeast Asia ETF (ASEA) and iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG).

ASEA and IEMG are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. ASEA is a passively managed fund by Global X that tracks the performance of the FTSE/ASEAN 40 Index. It was launched on Feb 17, 2011. IEMG is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI Emerging Markets Investable Market Index. It was launched on Oct 18, 2012. Both ASEA and IEMG 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

ASEA vs. IEMG - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Global X FTSE Southeast Asia ETF (ASEA) and iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

ASEA vs. IEMG - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ASEA Global X FTSE Southeast Asia ETF	6.01%	19.80%	9.82%	4.88%	5.24%	4.66%	-7.88%	8.34%	-7.58%	35.06%
IEMG iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	3.76%	32.56%	6.50%	11.52%	-19.98%	-0.64%	17.87%	17.81%	-14.92%	37.38%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ASEA achieves a 6.01% return, which is significantly higher than IEMG's 3.76% return. Over the past 10 years, ASEA has underperformed IEMG with an annualized return of 6.92%, while IEMG has yielded a comparatively higher 8.23% annualized return.

ASEA

• 1D: 2.16%
• 1M: -4.66%
• YTD: 6.01%
• 6M: 15.95%
• 1Y: 29.24%
• 3Y*: 13.03%
• 5Y*: 9.54%
• 10Y*: 6.92%

IEMG

• 1D: 3.61%
• 1M: -9.13%
• YTD: 3.76%
• 6M: 7.65%
• 1Y: 33.09%
• 3Y*: 16.07%
• 5Y*: 4.37%
• 10Y*: 8.23%

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

ASEA vs. IEMG - Expense Ratio Comparison

ASEA has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than IEMG's 0.09% expense ratio.

ASEA

Global X FTSE Southeast Asia ETF

IEMG

iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF

Return for Risk

ASEA vs. IEMG — Risk / Return Rank

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

ASEA

ASEA Risk / Return Rank: 86
ASEA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
ASEA Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
ASEA Omega Ratio Rank: 87
ASEA Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
ASEA Martin Ratio Rank: 88

IEMG

IEMG Risk / Return Rank: 86
IEMG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
IEMG Sortino Ratio Rank: 87
IEMG Omega Ratio Rank: 86
IEMG Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
IEMG Martin Ratio Rank: 86

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.

ASEA vs. IEMG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Global X FTSE Southeast Asia ETF (ASEA) and iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG). 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.

	ASEA	IEMG	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.67	1.68	-0.01
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.40	2.27	+0.13
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.34	1.34	+0.01
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.31	2.48	-0.17
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	10.51	9.61	+0.90
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ASEA vs. IEMG - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ASEA Sharpe Ratio is 1.67, which is comparable to the IEMG Sharpe Ratio of 1.68. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ASEA and IEMG, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ASEA	IEMG	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.67	1.68	-0.01
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.66	0.25	+0.41
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.39	0.42	-0.02
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.26	0.28	-0.02

Correlation

The correlation between ASEA and IEMG is 0.71, 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

ASEA vs. IEMG - Dividend Comparison

ASEA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.73%, more than IEMG's 2.65% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ASEA Global X FTSE Southeast Asia ETF	3.73%	3.95%	3.61%	3.76%	2.23%	4.19%	2.27%	2.51%	3.08%	1.59%	2.78%	3.64%
IEMG iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	2.65%	2.75%	3.20%	2.89%	2.71%	3.06%	1.87%	3.15%	2.76%	2.35%	2.28%	2.53%

Drawdowns

ASEA vs. IEMG - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ASEA drawdown since its inception was -44.16%, which is greater than IEMG's maximum drawdown of -38.71%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ASEA and IEMG.

Drawdown Indicators

	ASEA	IEMG	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-44.16%	-38.71%	-5.45%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.51%	-13.21%	+0.70%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.20%	-35.93%	+13.73%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-44.16%	-38.71%	-5.45%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.91%	-10.08%	+4.17%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.73%	-13.11%	+2.38%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.75%	3.41%	-0.66%

Volatility

ASEA vs. IEMG - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Global X FTSE Southeast Asia ETF (ASEA) is 6.65%, while iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) has a volatility of 10.48%. This indicates that ASEA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IEMG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ASEA	IEMG	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.65%	10.48%	-3.83%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.54%	14.67%	-4.13%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.59%	19.78%	-2.19%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.56%	17.91%	-3.35%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.59%	19.84%	-2.25%