EWT vs. SJPA.L

Last updated Jun 13, 2026

EWT (iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF) and SJPA.L (iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - EWT is a Asia Pacific Equities fund tracking the MSCI Taiwan Index, while SJPA.L is a Japan Equities fund tracking the TOPIX TR JPY. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, EWT returned 19.56%/yr vs 9.69%/yr for SJPA.L. At a 0.47 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. EWT charges 0.59%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for SJPA.L.

Performance

EWT vs. SJPA.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF (EWT) and iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI UCITS ETF (SJPA.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, EWT achieves a 61.53% return, which is significantly higher than SJPA.L's 14.94% return. Over the past 10 years, EWT has outperformed SJPA.L with an annualized return of 19.56%, while SJPA.L has yielded a comparatively lower 9.69% annualized return.

EWT

• 1D: 0.17%
• 1M: 8.18%
• YTD: 61.53%
• 6M: 67.45%
• 1Y: 89.17%
• 3Y*: 34.98%
• 5Y*: 17.48%
• 10Y*: 19.56%

SJPA.L

• 1D: 2.10%
• 1M: -0.43%
• YTD: 14.94%
• 6M: 14.92%
• 1Y: 30.59%
• 3Y*: 16.88%
• 5Y*: 8.71%
• 10Y*: 9.69%

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

EWT vs. SJPA.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
EWT iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF	61.53%	28.38%	16.11%	23.97%	-28.90%	26.18%	31.50%	33.36%	-9.90%	26.81%
SJPA.L iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI UCITS ETF	14.94%	27.11%	6.55%	18.71%	-16.24%	0.70%	14.43%	19.28%	-14.29%	25.61%

Correlation

The correlation between EWT and SJPA.L is 0.49, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.49
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.44
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.48
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.48
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 25, 2009	0.47

EWT vs. SJPA.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	EWT	SJPA.L
Technology	72.9%	19.1%
Financial Services	13.0%	15.9%
Industrials	4.9%	25.6%
Basic Materials	3.5%	4.6%
Consumer Cyclical	1.9%	12.5%
Communication Services	1.9%	7.6%
Consumer Defensive	1.1%	4.1%
Healthcare	0.8%	5.5%
Energy	-	0.9%
Real Estate	-	3.1%
Utilities	-	1.2%

Return for Risk

EWT vs. SJPA.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

EWT

EWT Risk / Return Rank: 94
EWT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
EWT Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
EWT Omega Ratio Rank: 92
EWT Calmar Ratio Rank: 96
EWT Martin Ratio Rank: 95

SJPA.L

SJPA.L Risk / Return Rank: 65
SJPA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
SJPA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 65
SJPA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 67
SJPA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
SJPA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 63

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.

EWT vs. SJPA.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF (EWT) and iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI UCITS ETF (SJPA.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.

	EWT	SJPA.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.36	1.55	+1.81
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.88	2.31	+1.57
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.55	1.29	+0.25
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	8.53	2.43	+6.10
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	25.15	8.21	+16.94

EWT vs. SJPA.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current EWT Sharpe Ratio is 3.36, which is higher than the SJPA.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.55. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of EWT and SJPA.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

EWT vs. SJPA.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum EWT drawdown since its inception was -64.37%, which is greater than SJPA.L's maximum drawdown of -46.71%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EWT and SJPA.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	EWT	SJPA.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-64.37%	-46.71%	-17.66%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.51%	-12.53%	+2.02%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-25.66%	-18.60%	-7.06%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-38.88%	-32.52%	-6.36%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-38.88%	-32.52%	-6.36%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.19%	-0.98%	-3.21%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-19.21%	-19.02%	-0.19%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.56%	3.72%	-0.16%

Volatility

EWT vs. SJPA.L - Volatility Comparison

iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF (EWT) has a higher volatility of 13.55% compared to iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI UCITS ETF (SJPA.L) at 4.70%. This indicates that EWT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SJPA.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	EWT	SJPA.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	13.55%	4.70%	+8.85%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	22.68%	16.09%	+6.59%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	26.75%	19.70%	+7.05%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	22.95%	22.28%	+0.67%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.78%	19.36%	+2.42%

EWT vs. SJPA.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

EWT has a 0.59% expense ratio, which is higher than SJPA.L's 0.15% expense ratio.

Dividends

EWT vs. SJPA.L - Dividend Comparison

EWT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.74%, while SJPA.L has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
EWT iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF	2.74%	4.43%	3.32%	8.12%	18.82%	0.55%	1.83%	2.49%	3.16%	2.81%	2.39%	3.12%
SJPA.L iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI 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

Can I hold both EWT and SJPA.L in my portfolio?

EWT and SJPA.L have a correlation of 0.49, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, EWT or SJPA.L?

On fees, SJPA.L is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, EWT or SJPA.L?

SJPA.L is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.59% for EWT.

What is the main difference between EWT and SJPA.L?

EWT is categorized as Asia Pacific Equities, while SJPA.L is Japan Equities. EWT tracks MSCI Taiwan Index, while SJPA.L tracks TOPIX TR JPY. Their fees differ too: 0.59% for EWT and 0.15% for SJPA.L.