IEFA vs SPY Overlap

IEFA is an equity ETF from IShares, while SPY is a U.S. large-cap core ETF from SPDR. IEFA and SPY show limited overlap, with an estimated weighted overlap of 0%. They share 0 holdings in the loaded dataset, led by very few shared positions.

0.0% overlap
#
0Shared Holdings
OK
Low Overlap

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Quick Answer

IEFA is an equity ETF from IShares, while SPY is a U.S. large-cap core ETF from SPDR. IEFA and SPY show limited overlap, with an estimated weighted overlap of 0%. They share 0 holdings in the loaded dataset, led by very few shared positions.

  • 0% weighted overlap across 0 shared holdings.
  • The top three shared holdings explain 0% of the measured overlap.
  • SPY is the broader fund, while IEFA is more targeted.
  • The overlap is mostly explained by the top shared positions rather than sector labels alone.
  • Holding both can still add materially different exposure.

Data Freshness

IEFA holdings
Mar 12, 2026
SPY holdings
Mar 12, 2026
Overlap computed
Mar 13, 2026
Data source
Financial Modeling Prep

Review the methodology for the overlap formula and refresh policy.

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About These ETFs

ETF A

IEFA

iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF

Issuer
IShares
Asset class
Equity
Expense ratio
0.07%
AUM
$173B
Inception
Oct 18, 2012

ETF B

SPY

State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust

Issuer
SPDR
Asset class
Equity
Expense ratio
0.0945%
AUM
$678B
Inception
Jan 22, 1993

What Stands Out In This Comparison

01

What This Means

IEFA is an equity ETF from IShares, while SPY is a U.S. large-cap core ETF from SPDR. IEFA and SPY do not own much of the same portfolio weight. That usually means you are combining different parts of the market, with only a small amount of duplication through names like very few shared positions.

02

How They Differ

IEFA is an equity ETF from IShares, while SPY is a U.S. large-cap core ETF from SPDR. SPY is the broader fund, while IEFA is the more targeted sleeve. IEFA has the lower expense ratio, while SPY charges more for its exposure.

03

What Drives The Overlap

The overlap is driven by a relatively small set of large shared positions. The top three shared holdings account for 0% of the score, which means the result is heavily influenced by the biggest common weights rather than a long tail of tiny positions.

04

When One May Fit Better

If you want the broader portfolio building block, SPY is usually the wider choice. If you want the more focused tilt, IEFA is the narrower expression. IEFA has the lower expense ratio, while SPY charges more for its exposure.

Overlap Driver Snapshot

Concentration

The top three shared holdings explain 0% of the full overlap score.

That helps show whether the score comes from a handful of giant shared positions or from a broader mix of common holdings.

Shared Sector Tilt

Sector tags are not consistently available for the biggest shared positions in this dataset, so this comparison leans more on the specific holdings than on sector labels.

Top Shared Holdings

These are the holdings contributing the most to the overlap score between IEFA and SPY.

These ETFs do not share any holdings in the current dataset.

Why These ETFs Overlap

IEFA is an equity ETF from IShares, while SPY is a U.S. large-cap core ETF from SPDR. The overlap exists because both funds allocate meaningful weight to the same holdings. In this dataset, the biggest shared drivers are very few shared positions, which appear in both portfolios and push the overlap score higher.

Holding both IEFA and SPY can make sense if you want exposure to different sleeves of the market. The overlap is small enough that both funds may still improve diversification.

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions About IEFA and SPY

What is the overlap between IEFA and SPY?+
IEFA and SPY currently show an estimated weighted overlap of 0% based on the loaded holdings data.
How many holdings do IEFA and SPY share?+
They share 0 holdings in the current dataset.
Is the IEFA and SPY overlap high?+
The current verdict is Low Overlap. That means the two ETFs have limited duplication in portfolio weight.
Why do IEFA and SPY overlap?+
IEFA and SPY overlap because the same large positions appear in both funds. In this comparison, the top three shared holdings explain 0% of the measured overlap score.
Which ETF is broader, IEFA or SPY?+
SPY is the broader fund, while IEFA is the more targeted sleeve. That does not automatically make one better, but it helps explain why the pair can overlap while still serving different roles.

How Overlap Is Calculated

A straightforward approach used by portfolio analysts.

Overlap = sum(min(Weight_A, Weight_B)) for each shared holding

For every stock that appears in both ETFs, we take the smaller of the two weights. Adding up all those minimums gives the total overlap percentage. A score of 100% means the two ETFs hold the exact same stocks in the same proportions.

Want the full explanation? Read the methodology page.

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