Fund-vs-fund · International Equities
Smart Global ESG ETF vs Smart Total World 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.
What's different at a glance
- Smart Total World ETF charges 0.14% lower in annual fund charges (0.40% vs 0.54%).
- Both are New Zealand PIE funds — investor tax is capped at the Prescribed Investor Rate (PIR), maximum 28%.
- Smart Global 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
Smartshares
0.54%
Lower half of cohort
Smartshares
0.40%
Lower half of cohort
5-year return p.a.
Past performance — not a predictor
Smartshares
12.12%
Top 17% over 5 years
Smartshares
11.48%
Top 20% over 5 years
Fund size
Larger = more stable, lower close-risk
Smartshares
NZ$314m
Largest 21% in cohort
Smartshares
NZ$275m
Largest 24% in cohort
| Metric | Smartshares | Smartshares | Lower / higher is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fund charge | 0.54% | 0.40% | Lower is better |
| Risk indicator (1–7) | 5 | 4 | Higher = more volatility |
| 5-year return p.a. | 12.12% | 11.48% | Higher is better (past not future) |
| Fund size | NZ$314m | NZ$275m | 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 | Yes | No | 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.
Matching holdings
1
of each fund's top 10
Smartshares weight in shared
0.6%
of Smart Global ESG ETF top 10 is shared
Smartshares weight in shared
0.3%
of Smart Total World ETF top 10 is shared
| Holding | Smartshares | Smartshares |
|---|---|---|
| $ NZD Cash Account (ANZ Bank) NZ | 0.62% | 0.30% |
"Min weight" = the smaller of the two weights — a conservative read of how much exposure you'd have to that position if you held both funds.
What each fund says it does
Smartshares
Smart Global ESG ETF
The Smart Global ESG ETF is designed to track the return (before tax, fees and other expenses) of the MSCI World Ex Australia Custom ESG Leaders Net Total Return Index. The Index is comprised of global 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 Global ESG ETF profile →
Smartshares
Smart Total World ETF
The Smart Total World ETF is designed to track the return (before tax, fees and other expenses) of the FTSE Global All Cap Index. The Index is comprised of large, mid and small cap companies located around the world.Full Smartshares Smart Total World ETF profile →
Common questions
What's the difference between the Smart Global ESG ETF and the Smart Total World ETF?
Which fund has lower fees, Smart Global ESG ETF or Smart Total World ETF?
How do the 5-year returns compare?
Are both funds PIE-taxed in NZ?
Does either fund apply responsible-investment screening?
Where can I read the official documents for these funds?
