What Is the KSA ETF? Returns, Expense Ratio, Holdings and Alternative ETFs Explained
The iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF is a passive country fund that diversifies across the Saudi stock market, offering Middle East emerging-market exposure and dividends. Fees, currency exposure and sector concentration are the key items to check, comparison with other emerging-market ETFs is the main selection criterion, and the trading ticker is KSA.
SubscribeWhat Is the iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF?
It is a passive country ETF that tracks an index covering large-, mid- and small-cap stocks on the Saudi Arabian stock market. It spreads investment across the broader Saudi market, which carries heavy weightings in financials and energy.
It suits country-diversification investors who want Middle East emerging-market exposure and are willing to accept single-country concentration and high volatility.
It is an ETF managed by iShares using a passive (index-tracking) approach.
How Does the iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF Invest?
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Tracked Index | MSCI Saudi Arabia Index |
| Management Style | Passive (index tracking) |
| Rebalancing Frequency | Periodic (per index rules) |
| Dividend Frequency | Semiannual dividends |
| Total Expense Ratio | 0.75% |
It tracks an index of large-, mid- and small-cap stocks on the Saudi Arabian market, weighted by market capitalization. Because the Saudi market has large weightings in financials and energy, those sectors and oil price trends have a major influence on performance.
- Country exposure diversified across the Saudi stock market
- Reflects the financial- and energy-centered character of the Saudi market
iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF Size and Costs (AUM and Management Fee)
Assets under management (AUM) stand at $557.0M, and the total expense ratio is 0.75% per year.
Unlike broad emerging-market ETFs, it is concentrated in a single country, so it is strongly affected by the Saudi economy, oil prices and geopolitical developments.
iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF Performance and Trends
1-Year Price Performance
Dividend & Yield
52-Week Price RangeThe Saudi stock market reacts sensitively to oil prices, Middle East geopolitics and the economic reform agenda. It can post gains when oil prices are strong or reform expectations are high, but volatility can widen sharply when oil prices weaken or geopolitical uncertainty grows.
Money tends to flow into Saudi ETFs when oil prices are firm and interest in Middle East emerging markets is rising, and it can leave quickly when oil prices weaken or risk aversion strengthens.
iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF Pros and Cons
Its strength is easy diversification across Middle East emerging markets, while its weaknesses are single-country concentration and oil price and geopolitical risk.
💪 Key Strengths
⚠️ Points to Watch
iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF Alternative and Related ETFs
EWU, EWL, EWG and others shown in the table are single-country ETFs for developed markets such as the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Germany, so their market characteristics differ from Saudi Arabia. To broaden diversification into emerging markets that include the Middle East, you can also compare the broad emerging-market VWO and the emerging-market benchmark EEM. These differ in country composition, breadth of diversification and fees, so it is best to choose according to your investment goals.
Peer Comparison ETFs| Ticker | Name | Price | Change | AUM | Total Expense Ratio | Dividend Yield | 1Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 EWC | iShares MSCI Canada ETF | $60.83 | +0.3% | $7.6B | 0.50% | 1.23% | +19.9% |
 EWU | iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF | $48.03 | +0.4% | $3.7B | 0.50% | 3.11% | +12.6% |
 EWL | iShares MSCI Switzerland ETF | $65.02 | +1.0% | $3.0B | 0.50% | 1.68% | +17.4% |
 EWP | iShares MSCI Spain ETF | $57.14 | +1.4% | $1.9B | 0.50% | 2.91% | +13.9% |
 EWG | iShares MSCI Germany ETF | $42.16 | +0.7% | $1.6B | 0.49% | 1.97% | +3.5% |
iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF Investor Checkpoints
These are the points to review before investing in KSA. As a Saudi country ETF, it is important to check oil price and geopolitical risk, sector concentration, currency exposure and fee levels in advance.
| Checkpoint | What to Check | Current Status |
|---|---|---|
| 💵 Expense Ratio | Check the fees of a single-country ETF | Somewhat high |
| 🛢️ Oil Prices | Check how oil prices affect performance | Sensitive |
| 🏦 Sector Concentration | Check the concentration in financials and energy | Concentrated |
| 💱 Currency | Check the impact of currency fluctuations | Not currency hedged |
Because it is concentrated in a single country, it is heavily influenced by the Saudi economy, oil prices and Middle East geopolitical uncertainty, and its concentration in financials and energy can raise volatility when those sectors struggle. Investors who hold Korean won also bear currency fluctuations.
It is a passive ETF suited to country-diversification investors who want to invest in Middle East emerging markets. A broad emerging-market ETF can be an alternative for spreading investment across emerging markets in general, while KSA can be an alternative for those who want to focus on Saudi Arabia.
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 June 4, 2026.
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