Best international ETFs for 2020

By Jonathan Chevreau on May 17, 2020
Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Five picks return from last year, while our panel adds three new international exposure offerings to this year’s list.

Overview Canadian U.S. International Fixed-Income All-in-One Desert-Island Picks

The panel retained our five international or global ETF All-stars from 2019: two from iShares (XAW and XEF) and three from Vanguard (VXC, VEE and VIU). We also added three low-volatility ETFs: BMO Low Volatility International Equity ETF (ZLI), iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol Global Index ETF (XMW, 0.48%), and CI First Asset MSCI World Low Risk Weighted ETF (Unhedged, ticker: RWW/B). (While not designated an All-star, the currency-hedged version of the CI ETF is ticker RWW.) Read more about low-volatility ETFs in our All-star package overview.

ETF Name	Ticker	Management Fee	MER	# of Holdings	Description
iShares Core MSCI All Country World ex Canada Index ETF	XAW	0.20	0.22	8,887	Global all-cap fund that's lower cost and tax efficient
Vanguard FTSE Global All Cap ex Canada Index ETF	VXC	0.20	0.26	10,681	Prefer one-stop international funds to picking standalone emerging and international ETFs
iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF	XEF	0.2	0.22	2.654	Broad coverage of Europe, Japan & Australia
Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap Index ETF	VEE	0.23	0.24	5,059	Emerging Markets index that includes China A shares
Vanguard FTSE Developed All Cap ex North America Index ETF	VIU	0.20	0.22	3,718	More diversified than XEF, similarly tax efficient
NEW! BMO Low Volatility International Equity ETF	ZLI	0.40	0.45	100	Invests in international large-caps with lower volatility than the market
NEW! CI First Asset MSCI World Low Risk Weighted ETF	RWW/B	0.60	0.69	200	Holds global mid-cap and large stocks with more weight to low risk (unhedged)
NEW! iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol Global Index ETF	XMW	0.45	0.48	1	Replicates MSCI All Country World Minimum Volatility Index (USD)

About Jonathan Chevreau

As MoneySense’s Investing-Editor-at-Large, he is also author of Findependence Day and co-author of Victory Lap Retirement. Reach him at [email protected], where he is the founder of Financial Independence Hub.