XEMC.TO vs. FRDM

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

XEMC.TO (iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China Index ETF) and FRDM (Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF) are both Emerging Markets Equities funds - XEMC.TO tracks the MSCI Emerging Markets ex China Index (Net) while FRDM tracks the Life + Liberty Freedom 100 Emerging Markets Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, XEMC.TO returned 24.37%/yr vs 31.77%/yr for FRDM. Their 0.71 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. XEMC.TO charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.49%/yr for FRDM.

Performance

XEMC.TO vs. FRDM - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China Index ETF (XEMC.TO) and Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF (FRDM). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

XEMC.TO is traded in CAD, while FRDM is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the FRDM values have been converted to CAD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with XEMC.TO having a 30.13% return and FRDM slightly higher at 31.08%.

XEMC.TO

• 1D: 1.10%
• 1M: -11.02%
• 6M: 19.48%
• YTD: 30.13%
• 1Y: 51.28%
• 3Y*: 24.37%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 23.51%

FRDM

• 1D: 0.49%
• 1M: -7.97%
• 6M: 17.90%
• YTD: 31.08%
• 1Y: 67.14%
• 3Y*: 31.77%
• 5Y*: 20.03%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 17.59%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
FRDM Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF	CA$32.05M	CA$30.27M	CA$34.91M
XEMC.TO iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China Index ETF	CA$942.73K	CA$1.56M	CA$3.52M

XEMC.TO vs. FRDM - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
XEMC.TO iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China Index ETF	30.13%	28.28%	10.87%	12.07%
FRDM Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF	31.08%	53.91%	10.31%	11.60%

Correlation

The correlation between XEMC.TO and FRDM is 0.86, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.86
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.75
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 15, 2023	0.71

The correlation between XEMC.TO and FRDM shifts across timeframes, from 0.71 (all time) to 0.86 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

XEMC.TO vs. FRDM — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

XEMC.TO

XEMC.TO Risk / Return Rank: 80
XEMC.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
XEMC.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 76
XEMC.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 84
XEMC.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 76
XEMC.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 79

FRDM

FRDM Risk / Return Rank: 85
FRDM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 88
FRDM Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
FRDM Omega Ratio Rank: 86
FRDM Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
FRDM Martin Ratio Rank: 83

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

XEMC.TO vs. FRDM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China Index ETF (XEMC.TO) and Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF (FRDM). 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.

	XEMC.TO	FRDM	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.93	2.18	-0.26
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.44	2.70	-0.26
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.37	-0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.70	3.44	-0.74
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.01	11.74	-1.73

XEMC.TO vs. FRDM - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XEMC.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.93, which is comparable to the FRDM Sharpe Ratio of 2.18. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XEMC.TO and FRDM, 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

XEMC.TO vs. FRDM - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XEMC.TO drawdown since its inception was -19.07%, smaller than the maximum FRDM drawdown of -34.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XEMC.TO and FRDM.

Drawdown Indicators

	XEMC.TO	FRDM	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-19.07%	-34.65%	+15.58%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-19.07%	-19.63%	+0.56%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.07%	-19.63%	+0.56%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-23.08%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-14.42%	-15.14%	+0.72%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.47%	-5.68%	+3.21%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.14%	5.73%	-0.59%

Volatility

XEMC.TO vs. FRDM - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China Index ETF (XEMC.TO) is 10.46%, while Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF (FRDM) has a volatility of 12.13%. This indicates that XEMC.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FRDM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XEMC.TO	FRDM	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.46%	12.13%	-1.67%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	25.10%	28.70%	-3.60%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	26.73%	30.89%	-4.16%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.04%	23.08%	-5.04%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.04%	24.42%	-6.38%

XEMC.TO vs. FRDM - Expense Ratio Comparison

XEMC.TO has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is lower than FRDM's 0.49% expense ratio.

Dividends

XEMC.TO vs. FRDM - Dividend Comparison

XEMC.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.82%, more than FRDM's 1.69% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
FRDM Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF	1.69%	2.26%	2.53%	2.66%	2.72%	2.17%	1.11%	1.07%
XEMC.TO iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China Index ETF	1.82%	2.48%	2.28%	1.67%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XEMC.TO and FRDM in my portfolio?

XEMC.TO and FRDM have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XEMC.TO or FRDM?

On fees, XEMC.TO is cheaper at 0.25% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XEMC.TO or FRDM?

XEMC.TO is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.49% for FRDM.

What is the main difference between XEMC.TO and FRDM?

XEMC.TO tracks MSCI Emerging Markets ex China Index (Net), while FRDM tracks Life + Liberty Freedom 100 Emerging Markets Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Freedom Funds. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for XEMC.TO and 0.49% for FRDM.