International stocks had a big year in 2025, far surpassing the S&P 500's 16% gain. But if you're looking to gain international exposure, buying individual stocks from other countries isn’t always easy. One potentially better option (considering the diversification you'll get) is an international stock ETF — an exchange-traded fund that does the work of researching and investing in foreign stocks for you.
But what kind of international ETF may be best for you? They come in a few different varieties, including global “ex-U.S.” ETFs, continent-specific or regional ETFs, and single-country ETFs. Below, we’re taking a look at the differences between these categories and some of the best performers from each.
News update: The outbreak of armed conflict in late February 2026 between Israel, Iran, the Gulf Arab states and the U.S. has raised energy prices and caused volatility in many international ETFs. See NerdWallet's article on how war in the Middle East is moving markets to learn more.
Top 7 best-performing ex-U.S. ETFs
Ex-U.S. ETFs are the broadest category of international ETFs — they’re funds that invest in global stocks, but exclude American stocks, hence “ex-U.S.” Below are the seven best-performing ex-U.S. ETFs in the last year.
The best-performing broad Ex-U.S. ETF by one-year return is Nomura Focused Emerging Markets Equity ETF (EMEQ), which is up 143.65%. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ticker | Company | Return 1 Year | ||
EMEQ | Nomura Focused Emerging Markets Equity ETF | 143.65% | ||
AIA | iShares Asia 50 ETF | 77.89% | ||
KEMX | KraneShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China Index ETF | 68.97% | ||
PEMX | Putnam Emerging Markets ex-China ETF | 66.58% | ||
EMXC | IShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China ETF | 66.56% | ||
MEMX | Matthews Emerging Markets ex China Active ETF | 61.33% | ||
XCEM | Columbia EM Core ex-China ETF | 60.60% | ||
Source: Finviz. Data is current as of July 1, 2026, and is intended for informational purposes only. | ||||
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Top 7 best-performing regional ETFs
Regional ETFs invest in stocks from a specific grouping of countries, such as Latin America. Many invest in stocks from a specific continent, such as Africa, Asia or Europe. Below are the seven best-performing regional ETFs in terms of one-year returns.
The best-performing regional ETF by one-year return is iShares Asia 50 ETF (AIA), which is up 77.89%. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ticker | Company | Return 1 Year | ||
AIA | iShares Asia 50 ETF | 77.89% | ||
EEMA | iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Asia ETF | 43.77% | ||
ILF | iShares Latin America 40 ETF | 35.84% | ||
FLLA | Franklin FTSE Latin America ETF | 30.90% | ||
AFK | VanEck Africa Index ETF | 29.19% | ||
ASEA | Global X FTSE Southeast Asia ETF | 25.51% | ||
IPAC | iShares Core MSCI Pacific ETF | 24.31% | ||
Source: Finviz. Data is current as of July 1, 2026, and is intended for informational purposes only. | ||||
Top 7 best-performing single-country ETFs
Then there are single-country ETFs, which, as their name implies, exclusively invest in stocks from a specific non-U.S. country. Below are the seven single-country ETFs with the highest one-year returns.
The best-performing single-country ETF by one-year return is iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY), which is up 191.82%. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ticker | Company | Return 1 Year | ||
EWY | iShares MSCI South Korea ETF | 191.82% | ||
FLKR | Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF | 186.42% | ||
MKOR | Matthews Korea Active ETF | 146.06% | ||
FLTW | Franklin FTSE Taiwan ETF | 105.74% | ||
EWT | iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF | 96.37% | ||
MCHS | Matthews China Innovators Active ETF | 89.70% | ||
EPU | iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF | 75.76% | ||
Source: Finviz. Data is current as of July 1, 2026, and is intended for informational purposes only. | ||||
» MORE: Best online brokers for ETFs
The author held shares in AFK at the time of last update.
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