IWM vs. EXUS.DE

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

IWM (iShares Russell 2000 ETF) and EXUS.DE (Xtrackers MSCI World ex USA UCITS ETF 1C USD) are both exchange-traded funds - IWM is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 2000 Index, while EXUS.DE is a Global Equities fund tracking the MSCI World ex USA index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, IWM returned 35.52% vs 22.63% for EXUS.DE. A 0.51 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. IWM charges 0.19%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for EXUS.DE.

Performance

IWM vs. EXUS.DE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) and Xtrackers MSCI World ex USA UCITS ETF 1C USD (EXUS.DE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

IWM is traded in USD, while EXUS.DE is traded in EUR. To make them comparable, the EXUS.DE values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IWM achieves a 15.62% return, which is significantly higher than EXUS.DE's 8.36% return.

IWM

• 1D: 0.87%
• 1M: -0.02%
• YTD: 15.62%
• 6M: 13.83%
• 1Y: 35.52%
• 3Y*: 16.64%
• 5Y*: 5.48%
• 10Y*: 10.78%

EXUS.DE

• 1D: 0.30%
• 1M: 1.07%
• YTD: 8.36%
• 6M: 11.34%
• 1Y: 22.63%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

IWM vs. EXUS.DE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF	15.62%	12.66%	10.66%
EXUS.DE Xtrackers MSCI World ex USA UCITS ETF 1C USD	8.36%	32.99%	0.55%

Correlation

The correlation between IWM and EXUS.DE is 0.56, 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	0.56
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 15, 2024	0.51

The correlation between IWM and EXUS.DE has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.51 to 0.56 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

IWM vs. EXUS.DE — Risk / Return Rank

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

IWM

IWM Risk / Return Rank: 63
IWM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
IWM Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
IWM Omega Ratio Rank: 54
IWM Calmar Ratio Rank: 71
IWM Martin Ratio Rank: 68

EXUS.DE

EXUS.DE Risk / Return Rank: 49
EXUS.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 47
EXUS.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 49
EXUS.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 50
EXUS.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 47
EXUS.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 54

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.

IWM vs. EXUS.DE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) and Xtrackers MSCI World ex USA UCITS ETF 1C USD (EXUS.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.

	IWM	EXUS.DE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.83	1.55	+0.28
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.54	2.26	+0.28
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.30	1.28	+0.03
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.24	2.05	+1.18
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.44	7.60	+3.84
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IWM vs. EXUS.DE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IWM Sharpe Ratio is 1.83, which is comparable to the EXUS.DE Sharpe Ratio of 1.55. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IWM and EXUS.DE, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IWM	EXUS.DE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.83	1.55	+0.28
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.24	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.47	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.36	1.20	-0.84

Drawdowns

IWM vs. EXUS.DE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IWM drawdown since its inception was -59.05%, which is greater than EXUS.DE's maximum drawdown of -13.99%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IWM and EXUS.DE.

Drawdown Indicators

	IWM	EXUS.DE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-59.05%	-13.99%	-45.06%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.03%	-10.74%	-0.29%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-27.50%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-31.91%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-41.13%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.71%	-1.03%	-1.68%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.76%	-2.33%	-8.43%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.11%	2.91%	+0.20%

Volatility

IWM vs. EXUS.DE - Volatility Comparison

iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) has a higher volatility of 6.52% compared to Xtrackers MSCI World ex USA UCITS ETF 1C USD (EXUS.DE) at 3.86%. This indicates that IWM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than EXUS.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IWM	EXUS.DE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.52%	3.86%	+2.66%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.00%	11.66%	+2.34%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	19.53%	14.23%	+5.30%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	22.58%	15.09%	+7.49%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.07%	15.09%	+7.98%

IWM vs. EXUS.DE - Expense Ratio Comparison

IWM has a 0.19% expense ratio, which is higher than EXUS.DE's 0.15% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

IWM vs. EXUS.DE - Dividend Comparison

IWM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.89%, while EXUS.DE has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
EXUS.DE Xtrackers MSCI World ex USA UCITS ETF 1C USD	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF	0.89%	1.04%	1.15%	1.35%	1.48%	0.94%	1.04%	1.26%	1.40%	1.26%	1.38%	1.54%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IWM and EXUS.DE in my portfolio?

IWM and EXUS.DE have a correlation of 0.56, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, IWM or EXUS.DE?

On fees, EXUS.DE 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, IWM or EXUS.DE?

EXUS.DE is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.19% for IWM.

What is the main difference between IWM and EXUS.DE?

IWM is categorized as Small Cap Blend Equities, while EXUS.DE is Global Equities. IWM tracks Russell 2000 Index, while EXUS.DE tracks MSCI World ex USA index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Xtrackers. Their fees differ too: 0.19% for IWM and 0.15% for EXUS.DE.