21 Best-Performing International ETFs: Ex-U.S., Regional and Single-Country
International ETFs can provide an easy way to diversify outside the U.S. Here are the best-performing ex-U.S., regional and single-country ETFs over the last year.
Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.
Updated · 1 min read
Written by
Lead Writer 
Edited by
Managing Editor 
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.
| Ticker | Fund name | One-year return |
|---|---|---|
| EMEQ | Nomura Focused Emerging Markets Equity ETF | 78.66% |
| KEMX | KraneShares MSCI Emerging Markets Ex China Index ETF | 49.27% |
| MEMX | Matthews Emerging Markets Ex China Active ETF | 49.22% |
| AIA | iShares Asia 50 ETF | 49.11% |
| PEMX | Putnam Emerging Markets Ex China ETF | 49.05% |
| EMXC | iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Ex China ETF | 45.99% |
| XCEM | Columbia EM Core Ex-China ETF | 41.37% |
| Source: Finviz. Data is current as of April 3, 2026, and is intended for informational purposes only. | ||
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.
| Ticker | Fund name | One-year return |
|---|---|---|
| ILF | iShares Latin America 40 ETF | 56.3% |
| FLLA | Franklin FTSE Latin America ETF | 53.81% |
| AFK | MVIS GDP Africa Index | 49.62% |
| AIA | iShares Asia 50 ETF | 49.11% |
| EEMA | iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Asia ETF | 30.44% |
| IPAC | iShares MSCI Core Pacific ETF | 29.92% |
| ASEA | GlobalX FTSE Southeast Asia ETF | 28.99% |
| Source: Finviz. Data is current as of April 3, 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.
| Ticker | Fund name | One-year return |
|---|---|---|
| EWY | iShares MSCI South Korea ETF | 129.04% |
| FLKR | Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF | 122.98% |
| MKOR | Matthews Korea Active ETF | 107.18% |
| EPU | iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF | 87.22% |
| OPPJ | Wisdom Tree Trust WisdomTree Japan Opportunities Fund | 63.39% |
| EIS | iShares MSCI Israel ETF | 58.65% |
| FLTW | Franklin FTSE Taiwan ETF | 58.31% |
| Source: Finviz. Data is current as of April 3, 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.
| Brokerage firms | |
|---|---|
| | |
| | |
More like this
Related articles
