MINV vs. AAXJ
MINV (Matthews Asia Innovators Active ETF) and AAXJ (iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF) are both Asia Pacific Equities funds. MINV is actively managed, while AAXJ is passively managed. Over the past 3 years, MINV returned 33.92%/yr vs 23.41%/yr for AAXJ. Their correlation of 0.91 suggests significant overlap in exposure. MINV charges 0.79%/yr vs 0.68%/yr for AAXJ.
Performance
MINV vs. AAXJ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MINV achieves a 55.42% return, which is significantly higher than AAXJ's 25.79% return.
MINV
- 1D
- -7.65%
- 1M
- 4.13%
- YTD
- 55.42%
- 6M
- 56.47%
- 1Y
- 84.63%
- 3Y*
- 33.92%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
AAXJ
- 1D
- -6.03%
- 1M
- 2.68%
- YTD
- 25.79%
- 6M
- 26.97%
- 1Y
- 47.85%
- 3Y*
- 23.41%
- 5Y*
- 6.42%
- 10Y*
- 10.35%
MINV vs. AAXJ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MINV Matthews Asia Innovators Active ETF | 55.42% | 30.85% | 17.32% | -2.66% | -2.87% |
AAXJ iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF | 25.79% | 31.53% | 10.41% | 4.79% | -2.08% |
Correlation
The correlation between MINV and AAXJ is 0.91, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.91 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.91 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 14, 2022 | 0.91 |
The correlation between MINV and AAXJ has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.91 to 0.91 - a consistent structural relationship.
MINV vs. AAXJ - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
MINV
AAXJ
Technology
Industrials
Healthcare
Consumer Cyclical
Communication Services
Energy
Financial Services
Basic Materials
Consumer Defensive
-
Real Estate
-
Utilities
-
Technology
MINV
AAXJ
Industrials
MINV
AAXJ
Healthcare
MINV
AAXJ
Consumer Cyclical
MINV
AAXJ
Communication Services
MINV
AAXJ
Energy
MINV
AAXJ
Financial Services
MINV
AAXJ
Basic Materials
MINV
AAXJ
Consumer Defensive
MINV
-
AAXJ
Real Estate
MINV
-
AAXJ
Utilities
MINV
-
AAXJ
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Return for Risk
MINV vs. AAXJ — Risk / Return Rank
MINV
AAXJ
MINV vs. AAXJ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Matthews Asia Innovators Active ETF (MINV) and iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF (AAXJ). 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.
| MINV | AAXJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.87 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.82 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.51 | 1.39 | +0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 7.80 | 3.52 | +4.28 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 19.55 | 12.86 | +6.70 |
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Drawdowns
MINV vs. AAXJ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MINV drawdown since its inception was -23.49%, smaller than the maximum AAXJ drawdown of -49.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MINV and AAXJ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MINV | AAXJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -23.49% | -49.37% | +25.88% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.91% | -13.66% | +2.75% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.82% | -19.74% | -0.08% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -40.64% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -44.52% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.65% | -6.03% | -1.62% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.03% | -14.00% | +5.97% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.34% | 3.73% | +0.61% |
Volatility
MINV vs. AAXJ - Volatility Comparison
Matthews Asia Innovators Active ETF (MINV) has a higher volatility of 16.99% compared to iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF (AAXJ) at 13.43%. This indicates that MINV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AAXJ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MINV | AAXJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 16.99% | 13.43% | +3.56% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 25.92% | 21.20% | +4.72% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 29.06% | 23.39% | +5.67% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.78% | 20.63% | +4.15% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.78% | 20.51% | +4.27% |
MINV vs. AAXJ - Expense Ratio Comparison
MINV has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is higher than AAXJ's 0.68% expense ratio.
Dividends
MINV vs. AAXJ - Dividend Comparison
MINV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.97%, less than AAXJ's 1.32% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AAXJ iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF | 1.32% | 1.81% | 1.86% | 1.95% | 1.74% | 2.21% | 1.06% | 1.83% | 2.10% | 1.99% | 1.77% | 2.44% |
MINV Matthews Asia Innovators Active ETF | 0.97% | 1.51% | 0.25% | 1.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.91, MINV and AAXJ move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
MINV has higher volatility (16.99%) compared to AAXJ (13.43%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MINV dropped -23.49% vs AAXJ's -49.37%.
On 3-year performance, MINV leads with 33.92% vs 23.41% for AAXJ. On fees, AAXJ is cheaper at 0.68% per year. On volatility, AAXJ has been the lower-risk option at 13.43%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, MINV has performed better with a 33.92% return vs 23.41%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
AAXJ is cheaper with a 0.68% expense ratio, compared with 0.79% for MINV.
AAXJ has the higher dividend yield at 1.32%, compared with 0.97% for MINV.
They also come from different issuers: Matthews and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.79% for MINV and 0.68% for AAXJ.
MINV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.93 vs 2.06), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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