EFA vs. XNKY.DE
EFA (iShares MSCI EAFE ETF) and XNKY.DE (Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - EFA is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI EAFE Index (Net), while XNKY.DE is a Japan Equities fund tracking the Nikkei 225®. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, EFA returned 8.36%/yr vs 11.38%/yr for XNKY.DE. A 0.65 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. EFA charges 0.32%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for XNKY.DE.
Performance
EFA vs. XNKY.DE - Performance Comparison
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Different Trading Currencies
EFA is traded in USD, while XNKY.DE is traded in EUR. To make them comparable, the XNKY.DE values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EFA achieves a 9.36% return, which is significantly lower than XNKY.DE's 30.80% return.
EFA
- 1D
- 0.28%
- 1M
- 1.15%
- YTD
- 9.36%
- 6M
- 10.80%
- 1Y
- 20.34%
- 3Y*
- 16.14%
- 5Y*
- 8.36%
- 10Y*
- 9.84%
XNKY.DE
- 1D
- -1.33%
- 1M
- 5.14%
- YTD
- 30.80%
- 6M
- 32.37%
- 1Y
- 60.28%
- 3Y*
- 24.12%
- 5Y*
- 11.38%
- 10Y*
- —
EFA vs. XNKY.DE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | 9.36% | 31.55% | 3.49% | 18.36% | -14.39% | 11.45% | 20.00% |
XNKY.DE Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF | 30.80% | 31.13% | 7.80% | 21.76% | -20.02% | -4.98% | 19.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between EFA and XNKY.DE is 0.64, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.64 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.62 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.65 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 2, 2020 | 0.65 |
The correlation between EFA and XNKY.DE has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.62 to 0.65 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
EFA vs. XNKY.DE — Risk / Return Rank
EFA
XNKY.DE
EFA vs. XNKY.DE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) and Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF (XNKY.DE). 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.
| EFA | XNKY.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.18 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.62 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.42 | -0.18 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.79 | 4.10 | -2.31 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.67 | 13.45 | -6.78 |
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Drawdowns
EFA vs. XNKY.DE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EFA drawdown since its inception was -61.04%, which is greater than XNKY.DE's maximum drawdown of -35.76%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EFA and XNKY.DE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EFA | XNKY.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -61.04% | -35.76% | -25.28% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.42% | -15.19% | +3.77% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.05% | -18.89% | +4.84% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.53% | -33.88% | +4.35% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.19% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.61% | -1.33% | +0.72% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.92% | -12.30% | +0.38% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.07% | 4.64% | -1.57% |
Volatility
EFA vs. XNKY.DE - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) is 5.50%, while Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF (XNKY.DE) has a volatility of 6.98%. This indicates that EFA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XNKY.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| EFA | XNKY.DE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.50% | 6.98% | -1.48% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.19% | 19.80% | -6.61% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.64% | 25.01% | -9.37% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.58% | 20.03% | -3.45% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.27% | 19.90% | -2.63% |
EFA vs. XNKY.DE - Expense Ratio Comparison
EFA has a 0.32% expense ratio, which is higher than XNKY.DE's 0.09% expense ratio.
Dividends
EFA vs. XNKY.DE - Dividend Comparison
EFA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.09%, while XNKY.DE has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | 3.09% | 3.38% | 3.24% | 2.98% | 2.69% | 3.33% | 2.13% | 3.10% | 3.39% | 2.57% | 3.07% | 2.76% |
XNKY.DE Xtrackers Nikkei 225 UCITS ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
EFA and XNKY.DE have a correlation of 0.64, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, XNKY.DE is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
XNKY.DE is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.32% for EFA.
EFA is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while XNKY.DE is Japan Equities. EFA tracks MSCI EAFE Index (Net), while XNKY.DE tracks Nikkei 225®. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Xtrackers. Their fees differ too: 0.32% for EFA and 0.09% for XNKY.DE.
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