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IAA

$153.96-0.5%Asia Pacific38/100
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iShares Asia 50 ETF · BlackRock

Data as at 29 March 2026

TL;DR

Tracks the 50 largest and most liquid companies across Asia (excluding Japan) — concentrated in Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore. A blue-chip-focused approach to Asian equities.

MER (Annual Fee)
0.50%
#3 lowest in Asia Pacific
1Y Return
+36.5%
3Y Return (p.a.)
+21.7%
Dividend Yield
2.50%
Trailing 12 months
AUM
$1,436.2M
Assets under management
Avg Daily Turnover
$2.1M
Avg shares × unit price
Unit Price
$153.96
As at 29 March 2026
Provider
BlackRock
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Strategy

Follows the S&P Asia 50 Index, selecting the 50 most liquid large-cap companies from designated Asian markets. Managed by BlackRock. Portfolio typically has low 25% annual turnover.

Top Holdings

Key Fact

IAA's portfolio turnover is just 25% per year, well below the 70% category average. This low turnover makes it more tax-efficient than many active or factor-based Asian funds.

Suited for

Investors wanting concentrated exposure to Asia's largest companies without the breadth of a broader regional fund. IAA is a higher-conviction, large-cap-only Asian allocation.

Risks

TSMC and Samsung together represent roughly 25-30% of the fund, creating significant single-stock concentration. A Taiwan-China conflict would materially impact this portfolio.

ETFCheck Score38/100
Fees (40%)25
Fund Size (25%)54
Liquidity (20%)27
Yield (15%)58
How scores are calculated →
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0.09% MER
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0.40% MER
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0.67% MER
22
CNEW
0.57% MER
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IKO
0.65% MER
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Frequently Asked Questions - IAA

How concentrated is IAA and what risks does that create for Australian investors?+
IAA holds just 50 stocks, with Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC), Samsung, and Alibaba/Tencent frequently comprising over 30% of the portfolio combined. This extreme concentration means a single regulatory crackdown - like China's 2021 tech clampdown - or geopolitical event involving Taiwan can severely impact returns. Australian investors seeking diversified Asian exposure may prefer VAE's broader holdings, though IAA's concentration has rewarded investors when its mega-cap holdings rally strongly.
Is IAA's 0.50% MER justified given it only holds 50 stocks?+
IAA's 0.50% management fee is notably higher than VAE's 0.40%, despite IAA holding far fewer stocks and requiring less complex index replication. The premium partly reflects BlackRock's iShares brand and the ETF's cross-listing structure from the US-domiciled original fund. Cost-conscious Australian SMSF investors may question paying more for a concentrated portfolio, though IAA's slightly stronger one-year return of 10.4% versus VAE's 9.8% shows concentration can occasionally deliver outperformance.
How does IAA handle China exposure given ongoing geopolitical tensions?+
IAA has significant Chinese exposure through holdings like Alibaba, Tencent, Meituan, and JD.com, typically comprising 25-35% of the portfolio depending on market conditions. Australian investors face risks including US-China trade tensions, potential ADR delisting threats, and Chinese regulatory intervention. However, IAA also balances this with heavy Taiwanese and South Korean semiconductor exposure. Investors should assess whether this geopolitical concentration aligns with their risk tolerance before allocating within an SMSF or broader portfolio.
Who should consider IAA over broader Asian or emerging market ETFs available on the ASX?+
IAA suits Australian investors who want targeted, high-conviction exposure to Asia's dominant technology and consumer platform companies without broader emerging market dilution from Latin America or Africa found in funds like VGE. Its 50-stock portfolio effectively serves as an Asian mega-cap tech bet. However, investors wanting diversified Asian exposure including mid-caps, financials, and ASEAN economies should consider VAE instead, which covers hundreds of stocks across the region's full market capitalisation spectrum.