Fund-vs-fund · International Equities
BetaShares Global Quality Leaders Fund vs Lighthouse Global Equity Fund
Both are International Equities funds available to NZ retail investors. Numbers below are sourced from the FMA Disclose register via Sorted Smart Investor and reflect the latest published quarterly fund updates.
Why these two differ
The most material structural difference between these two funds is their approach to concentration and risk. The Lighthouse Global Equity Fund carries a risk indicator of 7 (the highest possible), while the BetaShares Global Quality Leaders Fund sits at 5 — a meaningful gap that reflects fundamentally different portfolio constructions. Lighthouse holds a highly concentrated book: its top five positions account for roughly 63% of the fund, with cash at BNZ alone at 22% and single equities such as Celestica Inc (11.97%) and Comfort Systems USA Inc (10.57%) representing outsized individual bets. BetaShares, by contrast, spreads exposure broadly — its five largest holdings each sit at just over 2%, suggesting a diversified, index-oriented strategy consistent with its "Quality Leaders" mandate.
On fees, Lighthouse charges 1.03% per annum versus BetaShares at 0.49% — a 54-basis-point difference that compounds materially over time. Despite its higher fee, Lighthouse reports a five-year return of 10.71% annually; BetaShares' five-year return figure is not disclosed in the current snapshot, so a direct long-run performance comparison is not possible here.
Growth asset allocation also diverges: BetaShares holds 98.31% in growth assets against Lighthouse's 78.34%, with the remainder in Lighthouse largely explained by its substantial cash position. Both funds are similarly sized, at approximately NZD 17.7 million and NZD 18.9 million respectively.
Always verify these details against each fund's current Product Disclosure Statement and latest Quarterly Fund Update on FMA Disclose before making any investment decision.
Cached comparison generated 2026-05-21 from each fund's latest FMA Disclose QFU. Regenerated when the underlying facts change.
What's different at a glance
- BetaShares Global Quality Leaders Fund charges 0.54% lower in annual fund charges (0.49% vs 1.03%).
- Both are New Zealand PIE funds — investor tax is capped at the Prescribed Investor Rate (PIR), maximum 28%.
Where each fund sits in its cohort
Percentile rank vs all 82 international equities funds we've matched on Sorted Smart Investor. Mechanical only — no opinion, no forward-looking view.
Annual fund charge
Lower is better
BetaShares
0.49%
Lower half of cohort
Lighthouse
1.03%
Upper half of cohort
5-year return p.a.
Past performance — not a predictor
BetaShares
—
—
Lighthouse
10.71%
Upper half over 5 years
Fund size
Larger = more stable, lower close-risk
BetaShares
NZ$19m
Smallest 17% in cohort
Lighthouse
NZ$18m
Smallest 16% in cohort
| Metric | BetaShares | Lighthouse | Lower / higher is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fund charge | 0.49% | 1.03% | Lower is better |
| Risk indicator (1–7) | 5 | 7 | Higher = more volatility |
| 5-year return p.a. | — | 10.71% | Higher is better (past not future) |
| Fund size | NZ$19m | NZ$18m | Larger = more stable, lower close-risk |
| Growth / income split | 98% / 2% | 78% / 22% | More growth = higher long-run return + volatility |
| NZ tax structure | PIE (PIR-capped) | PIE (PIR-capped) | PIE = simpler. FIF = annual return. |
| Currency hedging | — | — | Hedged smooths NZD/foreign FX moves at a small cost. |
| Responsible investment screening | No | No | Specific exclusions live in each fund's SIPO. |
| Available via | InvestNow · Direct | InvestNow · Direct | Platforms accepting retail subscriptions. |
Portfolio overlap
How many top-10 positions both funds hold, and at what weight. Computed from each fund's most recently disclosed top-10 holdings — exact-name matched (Microsoft Corp. = Microsoft Corporation), with a Cash / Cash & Equivalents collapse rule.
What each fund says it does
BetaShares
BetaShares Global Quality Leaders Fund
The fund aims to provide an investment return that tracks the performance of the iSTOXX MUTB Global ex-Australia Quality Leaders 150 Index, before taking into account fees and expenses.Full BetaShares BetaShares Global Quality Leaders Fund profile →
Lighthouse
Lighthouse Global Equity Fund
The fund invests in very large capitalisation stocks and Exchange Traded Funds listed on the NYSE and Nasdaq stock markets. It may use leverage of up to 30% of NAV. The fund's foreign currency exposures are not hedged back to New Zealand dollars.Full Lighthouse Lighthouse Global Equity Fund profile →
Common questions
What's the difference between the BetaShares Global Quality Leaders Fund and the Lighthouse Global Equity Fund?
Which fund has lower fees, BetaShares Global Quality Leaders Fund or Lighthouse Global Equity Fund?
Are both funds PIE-taxed in NZ?
Where can I read the official documents for these funds?
