XGSD.L vs. EZA

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XGSD.L (Xtrackers Stoxx Global Select Dividend 100 Swap UCITS ETF 1D) and EZA (iShares MSCI South Africa ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XGSD.L is a Global Equity Income fund tracking the STOXX Global Select Dividend 100, while EZA is a Emerging Markets Equities fund tracking the MSCI South Africa Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XGSD.L returned 10.06%/yr vs 8.17%/yr for EZA. At a 0.40 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XGSD.L charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.59%/yr for EZA.

Performance

XGSD.L vs. EZA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Xtrackers Stoxx Global Select Dividend 100 Swap UCITS ETF 1D (XGSD.L) and iShares MSCI South Africa ETF (EZA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

XGSD.L is traded in GBp, while EZA is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the EZA values have been converted to GBp using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XGSD.L achieves a 12.80% return, which is significantly higher than EZA's -1.21% return. Over the past 10 years, XGSD.L has outperformed EZA with an annualized return of 10.06%, while EZA has yielded a comparatively lower 8.17% annualized return.

XGSD.L

• 1D: 0.46%
• 1M: 2.73%
• YTD: 12.80%
• 6M: 14.57%
• 1Y: 33.44%
• 3Y*: 19.25%
• 5Y*: 11.03%
• 10Y*: 10.06%

EZA

• 1D: 0.97%
• 1M: 0.81%
• YTD: -1.21%
• 6M: 5.74%
• 1Y: 36.44%
• 3Y*: 23.49%
• 5Y*: 10.16%
• 10Y*: 8.17%

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

XGSD.L vs. EZA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
XGSD.L Xtrackers Stoxx Global Select Dividend 100 Swap UCITS ETF 1D	12.80%	25.50%	9.10%	2.81%	4.26%	14.86%	-4.16%	16.96%	-5.61%	7.02%
EZA iShares MSCI South Africa ETF	-1.21%	62.72%	9.03%	-3.57%	6.10%	8.93%	-7.97%	5.65%	-20.81%	24.26%

Correlation

The correlation between XGSD.L and EZA is 0.41, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.41
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.44
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.40
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.39
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 7, 2007	0.40

XGSD.L vs. EZA - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XGSD.L	EZA
Financial Services	40.7%	32.1%
Energy	9.2%	-
Industrials	9.0%	1.5%
Consumer Cyclical	8.6%	14.7%
Real Estate	7.2%	1.6%
Utilities	6.8%	-
Consumer Defensive	6.1%	2.4%
Basic Materials	5.8%	39.7%
Communication Services	3.2%	6.7%
Healthcare	1.9%	1.2%
Technology	1.7%	-

Return for Risk

XGSD.L vs. EZA — Risk / Return Rank

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

XGSD.L

XGSD.L Risk / Return Rank: 95
XGSD.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
XGSD.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 96
XGSD.L Omega Ratio Rank: 95
XGSD.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
XGSD.L Martin Ratio Rank: 94

EZA

EZA Risk / Return Rank: 31
EZA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 32
EZA Sortino Ratio Rank: 31
EZA Omega Ratio Rank: 32
EZA Calmar Ratio Rank: 31
EZA Martin Ratio Rank: 30

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.

XGSD.L vs. EZA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers Stoxx Global Select Dividend 100 Swap UCITS ETF 1D (XGSD.L) and iShares MSCI South Africa ETF (EZA). 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.

	XGSD.L	EZA	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.93	1.29	+2.64
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	5.47	1.79	+3.69
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.74	1.24	+0.50
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	6.99	1.63	+5.36
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	26.29	4.54	+21.75
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XGSD.L vs. EZA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XGSD.L Sharpe Ratio is 3.93, which is higher than the EZA Sharpe Ratio of 1.29. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XGSD.L and EZA, 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

	XGSD.L	EZA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.93	1.29	+2.64
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.97	0.40	+0.57
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.73	0.28	+0.44
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.32	0.21	+0.11

Drawdowns

XGSD.L vs. EZA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XGSD.L drawdown since its inception was -57.01%, roughly equal to the maximum EZA drawdown of -54.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XGSD.L and EZA.

Drawdown Indicators

	XGSD.L	EZA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-57.01%	-54.38%	-2.63%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.76%	-22.51%	+17.75%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-11.54%	-22.51%	+10.97%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.37%	-28.58%	+13.21%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-31.91%	-53.90%	+21.99%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.39%	-16.65%	+16.26%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.32%	-14.33%	+5.01%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.27%	8.05%	-6.78%

Volatility

XGSD.L vs. EZA - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Xtrackers Stoxx Global Select Dividend 100 Swap UCITS ETF 1D (XGSD.L) is 2.50%, while iShares MSCI South Africa ETF (EZA) has a volatility of 9.64%. This indicates that XGSD.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than EZA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XGSD.L	EZA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.50%	9.64%	-7.14%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.35%	23.84%	-17.49%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.47%	28.32%	-19.85%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.47%	25.40%	-13.93%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.26%	29.03%	-14.77%

XGSD.L vs. EZA - Expense Ratio Comparison

XGSD.L has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than EZA's 0.59% expense ratio.

Dividends

XGSD.L vs. EZA - Dividend Comparison

XGSD.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.15%, less than EZA's 6.26% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
EZA iShares MSCI South Africa ETF	6.26%	6.16%	7.26%	2.84%	3.90%	2.05%	5.51%	12.27%	3.81%	1.55%	4.10%	3.03%
XGSD.L Xtrackers Stoxx Global Select Dividend 100 Swap UCITS ETF 1D	4.15%	4.60%	6.39%	7.50%	8.70%	4.77%	5.38%	4.26%	4.68%	3.57%	2.76%	0.03%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XGSD.L and EZA in my portfolio?

XGSD.L and EZA have a correlation of 0.41, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XGSD.L or EZA?

On fees, XGSD.L is cheaper at 0.50% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XGSD.L or EZA?

XGSD.L is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.59% for EZA.

What is the main difference between XGSD.L and EZA?

XGSD.L is categorized as Global Equity Income, while EZA is Emerging Markets Equities. XGSD.L tracks STOXX Global Select Dividend 100, while EZA tracks MSCI South Africa Index. They also come from different issuers: Xtrackers and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for XGSD.L and 0.59% for EZA.