EEM vs IYR
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF vs iShares U.S. Real Estate ETF
Last updated: 2026-04-02
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to stocks in emerging market economies with higher growth potential. It charges a high expense ratio of 0.72%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.12%. Launched in 2003, the fund has a 23-year track record.
iShares U.S. Real Estate ETF (IYR) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to U.S. real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate companies. It charges an above-average expense ratio of 0.38%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.37%. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.
Quick Verdict
IYR is significantly cheaper at 0.38% vs 0.72% expense ratio, saving you approximately $649 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, EEM has significantly outperformed with a 30.5% return vs -1.0%.
Key Metrics
Performance Chart
Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)
Performance Comparison
Fee Impact Over Time
Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns
Risk Metrics
Based on 5 years of daily returns
Dividend Comparison
Top Holdings
0 of top 10 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)
EEM Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited!tpe/2330 | 13.38% |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.!krx/005930 | 5.37% |
| Tencent Holdings Limited!hkg/0700 | 3.82% |
| SK hynix Inc.!krx/000660 | 3.17% |
| Alibaba Group Holding Limited!hkg/9988 | 2.55% |
| China Construction Bank Corporation!hkg/0939 | 0.95% |
| Delta Electronics, Inc.!tpe/2308 | 0.88% |
| HDFC Bank Limited!nse/HDFCBANK | 0.87% |
| Reliance Industries Limited!nse/RELIANCE | 0.82% |
| Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.!tpe/2317 | 0.75% |
IYR Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| Welltower Inc.WELL | 10.03% |
| Prologis, Inc.PLD | 9.11% |
| Equinix, Inc.EQIX | 4.68% |
| Digital Realty Trust, Inc.DLR | 4.59% |
| Simon Property Group, Inc.SPG | 4.50% |
| Realty Income CorporationO | 4.44% |
| American Tower CorporationAMT | 4.39% |
| Public StoragePSA | 3.40% |
| Ventas, Inc.VTR | 3.15% |
| CBRE Group, Inc.CBRE | 3.10% |
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose IYR if...
you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.
Choose EEM if...
recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.