Fund-vs-fund · International Equities

Foundation Series Nasdaq-100 Fund vs Smart Europe 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.

Foundation Series

Foundation Series Nasdaq-100 Fund

PIE · capped at PIR (max 28%) Thematic

Smartshares

Smart Europe ESG ETF

PIE · capped at PIR (max 28%) ETF · EUG Responsible / ethical

What's different at a glance

Foundation Series Nasdaq-100 Fund charges 0.40% lower in annual fund charges (0.15% vs 0.55%).
Both are New Zealand PIE funds — investor tax is capped at the Prescribed Investor Rate (PIR), maximum 28%.
Smart Europe 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

Foundation Series

0.15%

Lowest 9% of cohort

Smartshares

0.55%

Lower half of cohort

5-year return p.a.

Past performance — not a predictor

Foundation Series

—

Smartshares

10.92%

Top 24% over 5 years

Fund size

Larger = more stable, lower close-risk

Foundation Series

NZ$26m

Smallest 23% in cohort

Smartshares

NZ$24m

Smallest 21% in cohort

Metric	Foundation Series	Smartshares	Lower / higher is
Annual fund charge	0.15%	0.55%	Lower is better
Risk indicator (1–7)	6	5	Higher = more volatility
5-year return p.a.	—	10.92%	Higher is better (past not future)
Fund size	NZ$26m	NZ$24m	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.

Sources: Foundation Series on Sorted Smartshares on Sorted

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.

0 overlapping top-10 holdings. The two funds disclose disjoint top-10 sets — useful diversification signal if you held both.

What each fund says it does

Foundation Series

Foundation Series Nasdaq-100 Fund

The Fund aims for high long-run returns by investing in an ETF that invests in shares of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange.

Full Foundation Series Foundation Series Nasdaq-100 Fund profile →

Smartshares

Smart Europe ESG ETF

The Smart Europe ESG ETF is designed to track the return (before tax, fees and other expenses) of the MSCI Europe Screened Index. The Index is comprised of European 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 Europe ESG ETF profile →

Documents

Crawled directly from each manager's website. How we record provenance →

Foundation Series

Live

Last verified 2026-05-08

Statement of Investment Policy

583 kB · file fingerprint recorded
Other Material Information

335 kB · file fingerprint recorded

Smartshares

Not yet crawled. View fund page for FMA Disclose link.

Common questions

What's the difference between the Foundation Series Nasdaq-100 Fund and the Smart Europe ESG ETF?

Both are international equities funds available to NZ retail investors. Foundation Series Nasdaq-100 Fund charges 0.40% lower in annual fund charges (0.15% vs 0.55%).

Which fund has lower fees, Foundation Series Nasdaq-100 Fund or Smart Europe ESG ETF?

Foundation Series Nasdaq-100 Fund has the lower annual fund charge (0.15% p.a. vs 0.55% p.a.). Source: each fund's most recent Quarterly Fund Update on the FMA Disclose register.

Are both funds PIE-taxed in NZ?

Yes. Both are NZ Portfolio Investment Entities (PIEs). Investor tax on the fund's income is capped at the Prescribed Investor Rate (PIR), maximum 28%.

Does either fund apply responsible-investment screening?

Yes — Smart Europe ESG ETF applies responsible-investment / ESG screening. Foundation Series Nasdaq-100 Fund does not. Specific exclusions and engagement policies are documented in each fund's Statement of Investment Policy and Objectives (SIPO).

Where can I read the official documents for these funds?

Both funds publish their Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), Statement of Investment Policy (SIPO) and Quarterly Fund Update (QFU) on the FMA Disclose register at disclose-register.companiesoffice.govt.nz. Always read the current PDS before investing.

Not sure which fund is right for you?

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Important: This comparison is general information only — not personalised financial advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns. The right fund for you depends on your personal circumstances. Read each fund's Product Disclosure Statement and consider speaking to a licensed financial adviser.