iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF

What iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF does

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF is a US-registered exchange-traded fund structured as a unit investment trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940, issued by iShares Trust and managed by BlackRock, Inc. The fund tracks an MSCI index of large- and mid-cap equities drawn from emerging market countries, providing investors with diversified exposure to developing economies. It operates as one product within the iShares platform, which offers more than 350 US-listed ETFs spanning equity, fixed income, digital assets, commodities, and real estate, and is powered by BlackRock's proprietary portfolio and risk management infrastructure (including the Aladdin platform referenced on BlackRock's corporate site).

The fund generates revenue through management fees charged on assets under management, with the expense ratio disclosed in the fund prospectus and trading occurring at market price on exchanges throughout the trading day. iShares ETFs are distributed through multiple channels: commission-free online brokerage access (notably through Fidelity), financial advisor and wealth management platforms, and BlackRock's direct institutional sales platform. Customer segments include retail investors seeking low-cost international diversification and institutional investors (advisors, pension funds, endowments) using ETFs as portfolio construction building blocks.

The fund's index methodology results in significant single-sector concentration: TSMC, Samsung, and SK Hynix together account for 26.7% of the Emerging Markets Target Market Exposure Index. Competitive context is provided by Vanguard's FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO), which held $104.7B in net assets as of October 31, 2025. Distribution and benchmark infrastructure is supported by partnerships with MSCI (index licensing), ICE Data Indices, and Bloomberg, alongside the Fidelity distribution alliance.

Name

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF

Legal name

iShares Trust

Website

https://ishares.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Short description

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF is a BlackRock-managed exchange-traded fund tracking an MSCI index of large- and mid-cap emerging market equities. It serves retail and institutional investors seeking diversified, low-cost international exposure through commission-free brokerage and advisor channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Emerging Market Equity ETF

NAICS

Open-End Investment Funds (525910), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Broad Market Equity ETFs (FSAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Emerging market ETF
• Equity index funds
• International equity investing
• Passive asset management
• MSCI index tracking

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Management Fees: ETFs generate revenue through management fees charged on assets under management. The expense ratio is stated in the prospectus.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF is an exchange-traded fund that seeks to track the investment results of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, composed of large- and mid-cap equity securities from emerging market countries. It is structured as a unit investment trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and is sponsored and managed by BlackRock. The fund provides diversified, low-cost emerging market equity exposure through a publicly traded ETF vehicle.

Product overview

iShares, a BlackRock brand, offers a comprehensive suite of Exchange-Traded Funds spanning multiple asset classes including equity, fixed income, commodities, real estate, and digital assets. The iShares ETF platform operates as a diversified product ecosystem where core equity ETFs like the Nasdaq 100 (IQQ) and dividend-focused funds (DGRO, IGRO) serve as foundational building blocks, complemented by fixed income products (SGOV, BINC) for income and stability, thematic funds (ARTY) for growth opportunities, and digital asset products (IBIT) for alternative exposure. The platform provides over 350 US ETFs accessible through brokerage accounts, with tools for portfolio construction, diversification, and various investment strategies including income generation, growth, and risk management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iShares Core: Core ETFs designed as building blocks for a diversified, low-cost portfolio
• iShares Aggressive
• iShares Conservative
• iShares Moderately Aggressive
• iShares Moderate
• iShares Conservative

Products and services

• iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) Tracks the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, providing investors with diversified exposure to large- and mid-cap equity securities from emerging market countries. Designed for individual and institutional investors seeking low-cost international diversification.

Quantifiable outcome

• ETFs held 30% of U.S. managed fund assets but accounted for less than 1% of capital gains distributions in 2025

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• FidelityflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributoriShares ETFs are available commission-free online through Fidelity brokerage accounts. This is a key distribution partnership enabling retail access to iShares funds.
• MSCIcoreTechnology or IntegrationMSCI indexes are licensed for use in iShares ETFs. MSCI provides the benchmark indexes that many iShares funds track.
• ICE Data IndicescoreTechnology or IntegrationICE Data Indices provides benchmark indexes for certain iShares fixed income and other funds (e.g., ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index for SGOV).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF: The dominant low-cost competitor in the EM ETF category, tracking the FTSE Emerging Markets index. VWO's $104.7B AUM substantially exceeds EEM, and its lower expense ratio has been a multi-year share-stealer. Directly competes for the same retail and institutional EM allocation dollars.
• iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF: BlackRock's own lower-cost internal competitor to EEM, tracking the same MSCI Emerging Markets index. As part of the iShares Core suite of low-cost building blocks, IEMG directly cannibalizes EEM flows within the same product family, representing the most direct comparable peer.
• Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF: A major low-cost EM ETF competitor tracking a similar broad EM index, offered by Charles Schwab. Competes head-to-head with EEM on price, distribution through Schwab's brokerage platform, and advisor adoption in the retail allocation space.
• SPDR Portfolio Emerging Markets ETF: State Street's low-cost EM ETF, part of the SPDR Portfolio suite. Offers comparable EM exposure at a competitive expense ratio and competes for the same advisor and institutional allocations as EEM and VWO.
• Invesco Emerging Markets Equity ETF: Invesco's EM equity ETF offering competing for retail and institutional EM allocations. Provides a comparable broad-market emerging markets product competing on expense ratio, distribution reach, and brand recognition with iShares.
• Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Hedged Equity ETF: A currency-hedged EM ETF competitor from DWS/Xtrackers, tracking the same MSCI Emerging Markets index with a USD hedge. Competes for institutional investors specifically seeking hedged EM exposure, an adjacent but partially overlapping use case to EEM's unhedged structure.

Emerging players

• WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund: A dividend-focused EM small-cap ETF that addresses an emerging niche within the EM allocation universe. Competes with EEM for EM allocation dollars, particularly from income-oriented advisors, but with a meaningfully different factor profile (small-cap, dividend-weighted vs. broad-cap market-cap).

Regional players

• iShares MSCI Brazil ETF: A country-specific EM ETF from iShares focused exclusively on Brazil, a major EM constituent country. While it is part of the same iShares product family, it serves investors seeking single-country EM exposure rather than the broad EM diversification that EEM provides.

Broad incumbents

• BlackRock, Inc. The parent company and sponsor of iShares ETFs. While BlackRock operates broadly across asset management (active equity, fixed income, alternatives, Aladdin technology), its iShares ETF platform is the structural sponsor of EEM and the provider of its portfolio management, distribution, and risk management infrastructure.
• State Street Global Advisors: The parent of the SPDR ETF brand and a major broad-based asset manager. Competes with iShares broadly across multiple ETF categories including emerging markets, fixed income, and sector products, and represents one of the three largest ETF sponsors globally alongside iShares and Vanguard.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iShares

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF