Best Global ex-US ETFs
International equity exposure that complements a US-heavy core
ETFs tracked
37
Avg TER
0.24%
Median Yield
3.29%
Global ex-US ETFs hold stocks from every country except the United States. They're designed to pair with a dedicated US fund (like VTI) to build a two-ticker global portfolio with intentional country weights. VXUS, the largest example, holds about 8,500 stocks across 46 countries at 0.05%, with median dividend yield around 3% — roughly twice the US yield.
These funds solve a specific problem: investors who want tight control over US weight but simple access to everything else. A 70/30 VTI/VXUS split targets 30% international, a common recommendation for investors concerned about home-country bias in a US-heavy core. A 50/50 split targets much more balanced global exposure. Either is more deliberate than accepting whatever weight a single global fund assigns.
Composition matters. Global ex-US funds are heavy in Europe (about 40%), Japan (about 15%), emerging markets (about 25%), and Canada + Australia (about 20% combined). That composition is materially different from a US-heavy portfolio: more financials, materials, industrials; less technology. The dividend yield premium comes partly from this sector mix — mature financials and resource companies distribute more than tech giants.
Currency is unhedged in standard global ex-US funds, so returns reflect both local-market moves and FX changes versus the USD. Over 10+ year windows these tend to wash out; over 1–3 year windows, currency can dominate returns in either direction.
Who this is for
- Investors combining a US core (VTI, VOO) with international for explicit country weights
- Portfolios seeking higher dividend yield than a US-only sleeve
- Not suitable as a standalone equity allocation — excludes the largest equity market
Top 10 ETFs
Browse all 37 global ex-us ETFs
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Open screenerFrequently asked questions
- What is a global ex-US ETF?
- A global ex-US ETF holds stocks from every country except the United States. The largest, VXUS, covers 46 countries with about 8,500 holdings. These funds are designed to pair with a US fund (VTI, VOO) to build a two-ticker global portfolio with intentional weights between domestic and international.
- Is it better to hold VT or combine VTI + VXUS?
- Functionally similar with two meaningful differences. VT is one ticker, simpler to manage, and requires zero rebalancing. VTI + VXUS lets you pick your own US/international split rather than accepting the market-cap weight (currently ~62% US). Combined, VTI + VXUS is slightly cheaper (0.04% blended vs 0.07% for VT).
- How much international exposure should I hold?
- Market-cap-weighted global portfolios allocate about 38% outside the US, which is the neutral target. Home-biased allocations often dial back to 10–20%. Diversification-first portfolios may reach 40–50%. There's no single right answer; the framework depends on your views on US vs international relative returns.
- Why do global ex-US ETFs yield more than US ETFs?
- Sector composition. International markets are heavier in mature dividend-paying sectors (financials, materials, utilities) and lighter in low-dividend tech megacaps that dominate US indices. Median yield on VXUS is around 3% vs 1.3% on VTI — a roughly 1.7% yield premium that has been stable for over a decade.
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