EWS
iShares MSCI Singapore ETF · BlackRock
Country ETFs
1Y Return
+28.9%
Expense Ratio
0.50%
AUM
$1.07B
Dividend Yield
3.56%
Avg Annual Growth (10Y)
+5.1%
Issuer
BlackRock / iShares

Overview

Singapore equity dominated by DBS, OCBC, and UOB banking giants — over 60% of the fund. Highest dividend yield of any developed Asian market. SGD managed appreciation provides additional long-term return potential.

Top Holdings

TickerHoldingWeight
D05DBS Group Holdings28.4%
U11United Overseas Bank18.4%
O39OCBC Bank16.8%
Z74Singapore Telecom8.4%
C6LSingapore Airlines5.8%
F34Wilmar Intl.4.8%
BN4Keppel Corp.4.4%
U96Sembcorp Industries3.8%
BS6Yangzijiang Shipping3.4%
A17UAscendas REIT2.9%

Fund Details

Index
MSCI Singapore Capped Index
# Holdings
~25
Inception
Mar 1996
Exchange
NYSE Arca
Structure
Open-End Fund
Distribution
Semi-Annual
Avg Annual Growth (10Y)
+5.1%
Avg Annual Yield (10Y)
4.47%

Investment Thesis

Singapore's three dominant banks — DBS, OCBC, and UOB — together represent over 60% of EWS, making it effectively a leveraged bet on Singapore banking earnings and dividend growth. Singapore banks are among the most profitable in Asia, benefiting from their position as ASEAN's financial hub and preferred offshore wealth management center for Southeast Asian high-net-worth individuals. The SGD's track record of managed appreciation against the USD provides additional return potential for long-term holders. High dividend yield from Singapore banking and REITs makes EWS one of the most income-generative developed market country ETFs.

Who It's For

Income investors seeking high-yield developed market equity exposure and those with a thesis on Singapore banking dominance in ASEAN financial services. EWS suits investors who want to access Asian wealth management growth and ASEAN economic development through Singapore's world-class financial infrastructure. The high banking concentration makes EWS essentially a Singapore banking sector bet rather than a diversified country fund — appropriate for those comfortable with this sector focus.

10-Year History

Annual Closing Price
YearClose% Chg
2016$20.42--
2017$23.82+16.7%
2018$20.82-12.6%
2019$24.42+17.3%
2020$21.42-12.3%
2021$24.42+14.0%
2022$22.42-8.2%
2023$26.42+17.8%
2024$25.82-2.3%
2025$29.80+15.4%
Annual Dividend Yield
YearYield
20164.82%
20174.42%
20184.92%
20194.62%
20204.22%
20213.82%
20224.42%
20234.12%
20244.52%
20254.82%
Annual AUM
YearAUM% Chg
2016$0.5B--
2017$0.6B+20.0%
2018$0.5B-16.7%
2019$0.6B+20.0%
2020$0.5B-16.7%
2021$0.6B+20.0%
2022$0.5B-16.7%
2023$0.5B0.0%
2024$0.5B0.0%
2025$0.44B-12.0%

Historical figures are ETFHub estimates modelled from asset-class return patterns and may differ from official fund records. Data as of August 2026.

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