Fund-vs-fund · International Equities
BetaShares Global Quality Leaders Fund vs Smart Japan ESG ETF
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 geographic and portfolio concentration. The Smart Japan ESG ETF (Smartshares) holds approximately 99.95% of its assets in a single underlying instrument — the iShares MSCI Japan ESG Screened UCITS ETF — making it a highly concentrated, single-country, ESG-screened exposure to Japanese equities delivered through a fund-of-fund wrapper. The BetaShares Global Quality Leaders Fund, by contrast, holds a diversified basket of individual global equities, with its five largest disclosed positions each weighted between 2.06% and 2.10%, suggesting a broadly spread portfolio across multiple markets and sectors with no ESG screen explicitly described in the available data.
Both funds sit in the International Equities category, carry a risk indicator of 5 out of 7, and hold an identical growth assets allocation of 98.31%. Fund sizes are comparable: Smart Japan ESG ETF at NZD 17.55 million versus BetaShares Global Quality Leaders at NZD 18.95 million. The annual fund charge differs modestly — 0.55% for Smart Japan ESG ETF versus 0.49% for BetaShares Global Quality Leaders. On performance, Smart Japan ESG ETF discloses a five-year return of 8.31% per annum; BetaShares Global Quality Leaders does not yet report a five-year return figure in this snapshot, likely reflecting a shorter fund history. Neither fund is a KiwiSaver scheme account.
Verify all figures against each fund's current PDS and latest Quarterly Fund Update on FMA Disclose before relying on any of this information.
Comparison generated 2026-07-05 from each fund's FMA Disclose QFU facts as at that date. If the underlying facts change, this narrative is withheld until it is regenerated — the tables on this page always reflect the current data.
What's different at a glance
- BetaShares Global Quality Leaders Fund charges 0.06% lower in annual fund charges (0.49% vs 0.55%).
- Both are New Zealand PIE funds — investor tax is capped at the Prescribed Investor Rate (PIR), maximum 28%.
- Smart Japan ESG ETF applies responsible-investment / ESG screening. The other fund does not.
Where each fund sits in its cohort
Percentile rank vs all 81 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
Smartshares
0.55%
Lower half of cohort
5-year return p.a.
Past performance — not a predictor
BetaShares
—
—
Smartshares
8.31%
Upper half over 5 years
Fund size
Larger = more stable, lower close-risk
BetaShares
NZ$19m
Smallest 16% in cohort
Smartshares
NZ$18m
Smallest 13% in cohort
| Metric | BetaShares | Smartshares | Lower / higher is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fund charge | 0.49% | 0.55% | Lower is better |
| Risk indicator (1–7) | 5 | 5 | Higher = more volatility |
| 5-year return p.a. | — | 8.31% | Higher is better (past not future) |
| Fund size | NZ$19m | NZ$18m | Larger = more stable, lower close-risk |
| Growth / income split | 98% / 2% | 98% / 2% | 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 | Yes | Specific exclusions live in each fund's SIPO. |
| Available via | Direct | 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 →
Smartshares
Smart Japan ESG ETF
The Smart Japan ESG ETF is designed to track the return (before tax, fees and other expenses) of the MSCI Japan Screened Index. The Index is comprised of Japanese companies screened for exposure to controversial weapons, civilian firearms, tobacco, thermal coal and oil sands. The Index excludes companies that fail to comply with the United Nations Global Compact Principles. For more information, please refer to the Smart Responsible Investment Policy.Full Smartshares Smart Japan ESG ETF profile →
Common questions
What's the difference between the BetaShares Global Quality Leaders Fund and the Smart Japan ESG ETF?
Which fund has lower fees, BetaShares Global Quality Leaders Fund or Smart Japan ESG ETF?
Are both funds PIE-taxed in NZ?
Does either fund apply responsible-investment screening?
Where can I read the official documents for these funds?
