KDEF vs. WDAF

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF) and WisdomTree Asia Defense Fund (WDAF).

KDEF and WDAF are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. KDEF is a passively managed fund by PLUS that tracks the performance of the The Korea Defence Industry Index. It was launched on Feb 5, 2025. WDAF is a passively managed fund by WisdomTree that tracks the performance of the WisdomTree Asia Defense Index. It was launched on Sep 10, 2025. Both KDEF and WDAF 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

KDEF vs. WDAF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF) and WisdomTree Asia Defense Fund (WDAF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

KDEF vs. WDAF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
KDEF PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF	20.17%	-5.14%
WDAF WisdomTree Asia Defense Fund	11.28%	-7.62%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, KDEF achieves a 20.17% return, which is significantly higher than WDAF's 11.28% return.

KDEF

• 1D: 2.65%
• 1M: -13.39%
• YTD: 20.17%
• 6M: 11.40%
• 1Y: 121.83%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

WDAF

• 1D: 3.09%
• 1M: -8.09%
• YTD: 11.28%
• 6M: 1.74%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

KDEF vs. WDAF - Expense Ratio Comparison

KDEF has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than WDAF's 0.45% expense ratio.

KDEF

PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF

WDAF

WisdomTree Asia Defense Fund

Return for Risk

KDEF vs. WDAF — Risk / Return Rank

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

KDEF

KDEF Risk / Return Rank: 95
KDEF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 97
KDEF Sortino Ratio Rank: 96
KDEF Omega Ratio Rank: 91
KDEF Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
KDEF Martin Ratio Rank: 95

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.

KDEF vs. WDAF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF) and WisdomTree Asia Defense Fund (WDAF). 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.

	KDEF	WDAF	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.79	—	—
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.19	—	—
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.39	—	—
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	5.57	—	—
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	15.53	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	KDEF	WDAF	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.79	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	2.91	0.18	+2.73

Correlation

The correlation between KDEF and WDAF is 0.83, 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

KDEF vs. WDAF - Dividend Comparison

KDEF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.21%, more than WDAF's 0.12% yield.

	TTM	2025
KDEF PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF	4.21%	5.06%
WDAF WisdomTree Asia Defense Fund	0.12%	0.13%

Drawdowns

KDEF vs. WDAF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum KDEF drawdown since its inception was -22.51%, which is greater than WDAF's maximum drawdown of -18.21%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KDEF and WDAF.

Drawdown Indicators

	KDEF	WDAF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-22.51%	-18.21%	-4.30%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-22.51%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-18.37%	-15.68%	-2.69%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.83%	-5.94%	+0.11%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	8.08%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	KDEF	WDAF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	19.32%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	33.05%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	43.92%	29.89%	+14.03%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	45.29%	29.89%	+15.40%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	45.29%	29.89%	+15.40%