IWM vs VEA: 2% overlap
iShares Russell 2000 ETF and Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF share 1.7% of their portfolios by weight — computed as Σ min(wA, wB) over every holding both funds own.
You would hold two tickers and get the diversification of 2.0. Two funds that shared nothing would score 2.0; two identical funds score 1.0.
Top shared holdings
IWM and VEA hold 86 of the same securities. The ten contributing most to the overlap figure:
| Holding | in IWM | in VEA | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIR | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.2% |
| CASH | 0.2% | 1.4% | 1.2% |
| CNR | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| ORA | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| MC | 0.1% | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| UCB | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| MTX | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| ACA | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| TRN | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| FBK | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Where IWM and VEA differ
Sector weights as a share of each fund, ordered by the size of the gap rather than the size of the sector — two funds that overlap heavily still usually diverge somewhere.
| Sector | IWM | VEA | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Care | 19.9% | 6.2% | +13.6pp |
| Unclassified | 0.0% | 8.9% | −8.9pp |
| Information Technology | 12.8% | 17.1% | −4.3pp |
| Real Estate | 5.9% | 2.0% | +3.9pp |
| Consumer Staples | 2.2% | 5.6% | −3.4pp |
| Energy | 6.1% | 2.9% | +3.2pp |
| Industrials | 14.7% | 16.9% | −2.2pp |
| Consumer Discretionary | 9.4% | 7.3% | +2.1pp |
Δ is IWM minus VEA, in percentage points. Sector data is not published by every issuer, so “Unclassified” is a real category rather than a gap in the table.
What each fund holds alone
94.9% of IWM by weight, held in no part of VEA.
95.2% of VEA by weight, held in no part of IWM.
A large count with a small weight is the usual shape: the positions one fund adds are typically its smallest ones.
Concentration and cost
| IWM | VEA | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 10 holdings | 3.3% | 15.2% |
| Positions held | 1,967 | 3,792 |
| Cost per $10,000 held, per year | $19 | $3 |
Cost is the expense ratio applied to $10,000; it excludes any brokerage commission, bid-ask spread or tax consequence. Figures are facts about the funds, not a suggestion about which to hold.
Frequently asked
How much do IWM and VEA overlap?
IWM and VEA overlap 1.7% by portfolio weight — largely distinct portfolios. They share 86 holdings. The figure comes from current issuer holdings files (IWM as of 2026-07-23, VEA as of 2026-06-30).
How is the overlap between IWM and VEA calculated?
As the sum of the smaller weight in each fund, over every holding both funds own: Σ min(wA, wB). If IWM holds a stock at 6% and VEA holds the same stock at 4%, 4% counts as shared. The result is bounded between 0% and 100%, and it is computed after looking through any fund-of-funds to the underlying holdings.
Is it redundant to hold both IWM and VEA?
That depends on your goals — we state facts, not advice. At 1.7% overlap, each fund still contributes meaningfully distinct exposure.
What does IWM own that VEA doesn't?
IWM holds 1,967 positions and VEA holds 3,792; 1,880 of IWM's positions don't appear in VEA at all, and they are 94.9% of IWM by weight.
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Related comparisons
Sources: issuer holdings files, IWM as of 2026-07-23, VEA as of 2026-06-30. Weights are fractions of each fund. Diagnostics, not advice.