State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF

SPDW

Market cap $39.8B

Samsung and SK Hynix are popular South Korean AI chip stocks, and SK just debuted on the Nasdaq. The three global ETFs below all include Samsung and SK Hynix as part of their top stock holdings.

The State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF has delivered 19.2% annualized returns for the past three years. Vanguard projects that developed market stocks (like the ones held by this ETF) might outperform U.S. stocks in the next 10 years.

Vanguard Total World Stock ETF offers comprehensive global coverage, including the United States, whereas State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF excludes American companies State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF maintains a lower expense ratio of 0.03%. Vanguard Total World Stock ETF holds more than 10,000 stocks, providing broader diversification than the 2,000-plus holdings in the State Street fund

State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF offers a lower expense ratio and greater assets under management compared to Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF. SCHE concentrates more heavily on the technology sector, whereas SPDW tilts toward financial services.

The State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF has managed to outperform the S&P 500 in 2026, building on strong gains achieved in 2025. With the U.S. dollar no longer falling relative to developed markets currencies, recent gains have increasingly been driven by attractive valuations. Case in point, SPDW holdings remain notably cheaper than the S&P 500, regardless of whether we look at current or forward P/E multiples.

Both VEA and SPDW offer ultra-low expense ratios and similar one-year returns. VEA holds a much larger number of stocks and manages significantly more assets under management (AUM).

State Street SPDR Portfolio Devt World ex-US ETF earns a reiterated "Buy" rating, outperforming SPY by 24% since June 2025. SPDW benefits from attractive valuation, robust momentum, and bullish seasonality, with a $51 price target still in play. Strong sector diversification, a low expense ratio (0.03%), and a 3.01% dividend yield enhance SPDW's risk-reward profile.

SPDW: The Alternative When Seeking Ex-U.S. Returns

SPDW charges a much lower expense ratio and currently offers a higher dividend yield than ACWX. SPDW covers only developed markets outside the United States, while ACWX includes both developed and other non-U.S. equities.

Both SCHF and SPDW offer ultra-low 0.03% expense ratios and similar sector allocations SCHF has a lower beta than SPDW (0.86 vs 0.88), and beats SPDW in five-year growth, with $1,593 vs $1,567 from a $1,000 investment. SCHF holds more assets and features a marginally higher dividend yield CEO says this is worth 18 Nvidias.