Emerging Market ETFs Surge to Record AUM on Inflows and South Korea AI Boom
Assets under management in the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) reached a record $160 billion, while the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) hit $120 billion. Over the past year, IEMG attracted $22 billion in inflows and rallied 39%, with South Korea's AI boom cited as a key factor.
Emerging market ETFs have reached historic asset levels. The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF ($IEMG) now holds a record $160 billion in assets under management (AUM), while the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF ($VWO) has also set a record at $120 billion.
Over the past 12 months, $IEMG assets have nearly doubled, boosted by a +39% return and $22 billion in net inflows — more than double the inflows into $VWO, which returned +23% over the same period.
The divergence between the two funds is largely attributed to South Korea's classification: MSCI treats it as an emerging market, while FTSE Russell classifies it as developed. The country's AI-driven growth is reshaping the landscape for emerging market investing.
Source: The Kobeissi Letter