EEM vs QQQ: which was the better investment?
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF against Invesco QQQ Trust on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Apr 14, 2003 to Jul 15, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Did EEM beat QQQ?
No — measured from Apr 14, 2003 to Jul 15, 2026 with dividends reinvested, QQQ came out ahead: $327,212 versus $91,044 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 16.2% annual return against 10.0%.
What would $10,000 in EEM be worth today?
$10,000 invested in iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) on Apr 14, 2003 would be worth about $91,044 as of Jul 15, 2026, a total return of 810.4% (10.0% per year). The same $10,000 in QQQ would be worth $327,212.
Which was riskier — EEM or QQQ?
EEM swung with an annualized volatility of 27.1% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -66.4%; QQQ ran at 21.5% volatility with a -53.4% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.29 for EEM vs 0.66 for QQQ.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Apr 14, 2003 through Jul 15, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with EEM vs QQQ. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.