EWJ vs EWY: which was the better investment?
iShares MSCI Japan ETF against iShares MSCI South Korea ETF on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from May 12, 2000 to Jul 13, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Did EWJ beat EWY?
No — measured from May 12, 2000 to Jul 13, 2026 with dividends reinvested, EWY came out ahead: $118,925 versus $23,888 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 9.9% annual return against 3.4%.
What would $10,000 in EWJ be worth today?
$10,000 invested in iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ) on May 12, 2000 would be worth about $23,888 as of Jul 13, 2026, a total return of 138.9% (3.4% per year). The same $10,000 in EWY would be worth $118,925.
Which was riskier — EWJ or EWY?
EWJ swung with an annualized volatility of 21.3% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -58.1%; EWY ran at 33.4% volatility with a -74.1% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.06 for EWJ vs 0.24 for EWY.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering May 12, 2000 through Jul 13, 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 EWJ vs EWY. 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.