XDEF vs. IDEF

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF (XDEF) and iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF (IDEF).

XDEF and IDEF are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. XDEF is a passively managed fund by Xtrackers that tracks the performance of the STOXX Europe Total Market Defence, Space and Cybersecurity Innovation 50-25 Index. It was launched on Feb 19, 2026. IDEF is an actively managed fund by iShares. It was launched on May 19, 2025.

Performance

XDEF vs. IDEF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF (XDEF) and iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF (IDEF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

XDEF vs. IDEF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
XDEF Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF	-99.14%
IDEF iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF	3.39%

Returns By Period

XDEF

• 1D: 5.06%
• 1M: -8.83%
• YTD: —
• 6M: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

IDEF

• 1D: 4.15%
• 1M: -8.78%
• YTD: 6.20%
• 6M: 3.09%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

XDEF vs. IDEF - Expense Ratio Comparison

XDEF has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than IDEF's 0.55% expense ratio.

IDEF

iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF

XDEF

Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF

Return for Risk

XDEF vs. IDEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF (XDEF) and iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF (IDEF). 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.

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	XDEF	IDEF	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.49	1.85	-2.34

Correlation

The correlation between XDEF and IDEF is 0.72, 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

XDEF vs. IDEF - Dividend Comparison

XDEF has not paid dividends to shareholders, while IDEF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.16%.

	TTM	2025
XDEF Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF	0.00%	0.00%
IDEF iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF	0.16%	0.17%

Drawdowns

XDEF vs. IDEF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XDEF drawdown since its inception was -99.27%, which is greater than IDEF's maximum drawdown of -14.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XDEF and IDEF.

Drawdown Indicators

	XDEF	IDEF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-99.27%	-14.63%	-84.64%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-99.23%	-11.08%	-88.15%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-49.34%	-2.88%	-46.46%

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	XDEF	IDEF	Difference
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	205.45%	20.00%	+185.45%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	205.45%	20.00%	+185.45%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	205.45%	20.00%	+185.45%