DEM ETF: What Is It? — Yields, Expense Ratio, Holdings, and Alternative ETFs
An emerging-markets high-dividend weighted ETF operated by WisdomTree that selects the highest dividend-yielding emerging-markets stocks and weights them in proportion to their contribution to annual dividend payouts.
SubscribeWhat is this ETF?
DEM is a dividend-weighted ETF that selects the highest dividend-yielding stocks among emerging-markets equities and weights them in proportion to their contribution to annual dividend payouts rather than by market capitalization. It tracks the WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Index, with major holdings drawn from Chinese state-owned banks, Saudi energy companies, and Taiwanese high-dividend stocks.
It is well suited for income investors seeking exposure to emerging-markets high-dividend income and value stocks while seeking differentiation from market-cap-weighted emerging-markets ETFs that are concentrated in technology growth stocks.
It is a passive (index-tracking) ETF launched in 2007 by WisdomTree.
How do you invest in it?
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Issuer | WisdomTree |
| Index Tracked | WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Index |
| Total Expense Ratio | 0.63% |
| Weighting Method | Weighted in proportion to annual dividend payout contribution (dividend weighting) |
| Key Countries | China, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland, etc. |
| Dividend Yield | High relative to market-cap-weighted emerging-markets ETFs |
It selects the highest dividend-yielding stocks from the broader emerging-markets dividend-paying universe and weights them in proportion to their annual dividend payout contribution. The exclusion of growth stocks results in heavier exposure to traditional high-dividend sectors such as financials, energy, and materials.
- Dividend-weighted methodology, which excludes technology and platform growth stocks and concentrates on high-dividend value stocks, differentiates it from market-cap-weighted emerging-markets ETFs
- It pursues a higher income level than peers such as DVYE and EDIV through a top dividend-yield filter
- Its long track record since its 2007 inception allows investors to validate the performance of the emerging-markets high-dividend strategy
Size and costs
Assets under management (AUM) stand at $4.0B, and the total expense ratio is 0.63% annually.
DEM is frequently compared with other emerging-markets ETFs such as DFEM, DGS, DVYE, EDIV, and FDEM. DFEM is Dimensional's core emerging-markets equity ETF and uses a multi-factor strategy. DGS is WisdomTree's emerging-markets small-cap dividend ETF and carries a higher small-cap weighting than DEM. DVYE is iShares' emerging-markets dividend ETF, while EDIV is the State Street version. FDEM is Fidelity's emerging-markets multi-factor ETF. DEM differentiates itself by applying both a high-dividend-yield filter and dividend weighting simultaneously.
Performance and flows
1-Year Price Performance
Dividend & Yield
52-Week Price RangeExpanded dividend payouts from Chinese state-owned banks and Saudi energy companies within emerging markets have sustained income-investor interest in emerging-markets high-dividend ETFs, while expectations of a revaluation of emerging-markets value stocks relative to technology growth stocks have also supported demand.
When rotation occurs away from technology-growth-heavy emerging-markets ETFs toward value and dividend-oriented strategies, capital tends to flow into emerging-markets high-dividend ETFs such as DEM, DVYE, and EDIV.
Strengths and weaknesses
DEM combines emerging-markets high-dividend yield with a dividend-weighted value tilt, making it suitable for investors seeking differentiated high-income emerging-markets exposure outside technology-growth-heavy emerging-markets benchmarks.
💪 Key strengths
⚠️ Things to watch
Alternative ETFs and related products
For low-cost broad emerging-markets exposure, compare DFEM or FDEM. As emerging-markets dividend-focused alternatives, DVYE (iShares) and EDIV (State Street) can also be considered. For those seeking small-cap emerging-markets dividend exposure, WisdomTree's DGS is a suitable choice.
Peer Comparison ETFs| Ticker | Name | Price | Change | AUM | Total Expense Ratio | Dividend Yield | 1Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 DFEM | Dimensional Emerging Markets Core Equity 2 ETF | $36.44 | -2.6% | $9.1B | 0.39% | 2.14% | +10.1% |
 DGS | WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund | $58.58 | -1.7% | $1.6B | 0.58% | 4.06% | +3.1% |
 EDIV | State Street SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend ETF | $40.34 | -0.1% | $1.2B | 0.49% | 4.34% | +4.5% |
 DVYE | iShares Emerging Markets Dividend ETF | $33.36 | +0.1% | $1.1B | 0.50% | 5.22% | +9.3% |
 FDEM | Fidelity Emerging Markets Multifactor ETF | $33.39 | -2.2% | $504.2M | 0.25% | 3.49% | +8.0% |
Top Holdings| Ticker | Name | Weight | Price | Change | Market Cap | P/E | Dividend Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 MMK | State Street Prime Money Market ETF | - | $100.34 | +0.0% | $0.0M | - | 2.3% |
 GGAL | Grupo Financiero Galicia ADR | 0.04% | $32.30 | -4.2% | $4.3B | 43.1 | 2.92% |
 PASW | Ping An Biomedical Co Ltd | 0.03% | $5.12 | +2.4% | $14.4M | - | - |
 FMX | Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV ADR | 0.03% | $126.10 | +1.5% | $25.4B | 24.5 | 5.52% |
| ABEV | Ambev SA ADR | 0.02% | $2.66 | -0.4% | $40.4B | 13.6 | 6.56% |
Investor checkpoints
DEM is a dividend-weighted ETF designed for investors who want emerging-markets high-dividend income and a value-stock tilt. Compare its weighting in Chinese state-owned banks and its expense ratio against DFEM and DVYE before deciding on allocation.
| Checkpoint | What to verify | Current status |
|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇳 Awareness of China concentration risk | The heavy weighting in Chinese state-owned banks means regulatory and geopolitical risk directly affects the portfolio | Set an allowable limit for China weighting |
| 💰 Dividends vs. growth | The high-dividend filter excludes technology growth stocks, so if emerging-markets growth exposure is needed, consider pairing with DFEM | Confirm income-vs.-growth balance objectives |
| 📊 Expense ratio comparison | Compare the total expense ratio with lower-cost emerging-markets ETFs such as DFEM and FDEM | 0.63% |
| 💱 Multi-currency exposure | The portfolio is exposed to multiple emerging-markets currencies, including the Chinese yuan, New Taiwan dollar, and Saudi riyal, so currency volatility should be considered | Acknowledge emerging-markets currency risk |
Concentration in Chinese state-owned enterprises exposes the portfolio to significant regulatory and geopolitical risk, and the high-dividend filter excludes growth stocks, which can lead to underperformance during emerging-markets technology rallies. Exposure to multiple emerging-markets currencies and the elevated expense ratio also affect long-term returns.
DEM offers income-oriented investors a dividend-weighted value strategy that provides differentiated emerging-markets exposure targeting high-dividend income. Compare it with DFEM and DVYE to assess the balance among dividend yield, growth exposure, and costs, then define its role within the portfolio.
SubscribeDisclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. All investment responsibility lies with the investor.
This article reflects information as of September 3, 2026.
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