At a glance
HYXU charges 0.4% a year, above the 0.22% average of the 7 funds most like it (the 5th cheapest of 8). It has $44.2M in assets, the 7th largest of that group; it paid 6.87% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +5.9% with distributions reinvested, the best of those 8 funds; over three years it returned +11.8% a year. At its worst it fell 22.1% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 28.4% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 4 months and 23 months after the lows.
The short version
iShares International High Yield Bond ETF (HYXU), from BlackRock, holds high-yield bonds from markets outside the US. High-yield bonds are debt from lower-rated borrowers that pay more interest because they carry more risk of default. As of October 27, 2026, its trailing 12-month yield was 6.87%, paid quarterly. It charges 0.40% a year, above the 0.22% average of similar funds, and it is small, with $44.2 million in net assets.
Price history
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HYXU +5.9% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HYXU price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +6.4% | +5.9% | +11.8% | +3.7% | — | +3.8% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, HYXU returned +5.9%, 1st of 8 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +3.7%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 22.1% and regained its old high 3.9 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-15.6%); its best was 2025 (+17.4%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 32.4% (Jun 2, 2021 to Sep 27, 2022), recovered by Apr 16, 2025.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data |
|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +6.4% |
| 2025 | +17.4% |
| 2024 | -0.5% |
| 2023 | +16.0% |
| 2022 | -15.6% |
| 2021 | -3.7% |
| 2020 | +10.8% |
| 2019 | +8.6% |
| 2018 | -7.7% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Lost 21.4% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 22.1%, back to its old high 3.9 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 27.1% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 28.4%, back to its old high 22.6 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $1.8700 | |
| 2025 | $1.8959 | -21.0% |
| 2024 | $2.4000 | +42.9% |
| 2023 | $1.6800 | +522.2% |
| 2022 | $0.2700 | -83.8% |
| 2021 | $1.6624 | +89.1% |
| 2020 | $0.8791 | +41.8% |
| 2019 | $0.6200 | -68.0% |
| 2018 | $1.9400 |
How it works
We could not review this fund's prospectus. The HYXU ticker could not be found in SEC filing records. That can happen when a fund has been renamed or closed, or is not registered with the SEC. So we can't confirm which index it follows, how it picks and weights bonds, or how often it rebalances. Before relying on any detail here, readers may want to check BlackRock's iShares documents and confirm the fund still trades.
Here is what its name and category tell us. HYXU is a bond ETF in the high-yield category, launched April 3, 2012, and it focuses on issuers outside the US. High-yield bonds, also called junk bonds, are rated below investment grade by credit-rating agencies. They pay more interest because the borrower is more likely to miss payments. Their prices often track the borrower's health and the wider economy as much as interest rates.
Two mechanics matter for any fund like this. First, bond prices move opposite to interest rates, and bonds with longer maturities react more. Second, bonds priced in foreign currencies rise or fall in dollar terms as exchange rates change, unless the fund hedges (offsets) that currency risk. We could not confirm whether HYXU hedges its currency exposure.
What it really costs
- HYXU charges 0.4% a year, versus an average of 0.22% for the similar funds below (5th of 8, cheapest first).
Structure and tax notes
- Bond prices move opposite to interest rates; the longer the maturities it holds, the more its price reacts to rate changes.
In a retirement portfolio
It offers a high yield from non-US junk bonds, but it has fallen sharply in downturns, it is small, and we could not find its SEC filings.
HYXU could add income and some exposure to non-US corporate credit. As of October 27, 2026, its trailing yield was 6.87%, paid quarterly. It has fallen hard under stress, though. In the 2020 COVID crash it dropped 22.1% in less than three weeks and recovered in about four months. It lost 15.6% in 2022, its worst calendar year. Its deepest fall, 32.4% from June 2021 to September 2022, took 30.6 months to recover, until April 2025. Its price history starts in 2017, so we can't show how it did in 2008. Anyone who had to sell shares for spending money in a year like 2022 would have locked in large losses. The fund costs 0.40% a year. Because we could not find its SEC filings, it's worth confirming the fund still trades. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors wanting income from non-US junk bonds. As of October 27, 2026, its trailing 12-month yield was 6.87%, paid quarterly.
- Investors with mostly US bond holdings who want a small slice of international credit risk next to US high-yield funds like HYG or USHY.
- Investors who can live with swings like its 32.4% drop from June 2021 to September 2022, and who can wait years for a recovery.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors. Its 0.40% fee is above the 0.22% peer average, and USHY charges 0.08% for US-dollar high-yield bonds.
- Anyone who needs stable value or may have to sell in bad years. It lost 15.6% in 2022 and took 30.6 months to recover from its deepest drop.
- Investors who want a large fund with SEC documents they can check. HYXU had $44.2 million in net assets, and we could not find its SEC filings.
Close alternatives
Matched by legacy category (no holdings report for this fund).
| Fund | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HYXU this fund | 0.4% | $44.2M | +5.9% | +11.8% |
| IHY VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF | 0.4% | $25.2M | -0.9% | +8.3% |
| BNDX Vanguard Total International Bond ETF | 0.07% | $100.60B | -0.6% | +4.1% |
| USHY iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond… | 0.08% | $20.00B | +1.2% | +7.7% |
| HYG iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond E… | 0.49% | $15.10B | +0.9% | +7.4% |
| SPHY SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF | 0.05% | $8.70B | +1.8% | +8.9% |
| JNK SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF | 0.4% | $7.60B | +1.6% | +8.7% |
| IAGG iShares Core International Aggregate Bond E… | 0.07% | $7.00B | +0.5% | +4.9% |
Questions investors ask
Is HYXU good for retirement income?
It can provide income, but with real risk. As of October 27, 2026, HYXU's trailing 12-month yield was 6.87%, or about $3.77 per share, paid quarterly. That income comes from bonds rated below investment grade, which can fall sharply in downturns. The fund lost 15.6% in 2022, and at its worst it was down 32.4%. It may suit retirees as a small income holding rather than as their main bond fund.
Does HYXU pay monthly dividends?
No. Based on its payment history, HYXU pays quarterly. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid about $3.77 per share, a trailing yield of 6.87%. People who budget month by month may find a monthly-paying bond fund easier to plan around. Quarterly payments can also be reinvested, or combined with other holdings to even out cash flow.
HYXU vs IHY: what's the difference?
Both are small ETFs that hold international high-yield bonds, and both charge 0.40% a year. HYXU comes from BlackRock's iShares and IHY from VanEck. Their results have differed. As of October 27, 2026, HYXU returned 5.9% over one year and 11.8% a year over three years, compared with -0.9% and 8.3% for IHY. HYXU had $44.2 million in net assets and IHY had $25.2 million. Their index and holdings details are worth comparing directly.
Is HYXU expensive compared with other high-yield bond ETFs?
Yes, it costs more than most. HYXU charges 0.40% a year, compared with a 0.22% average among similar funds, which puts it 5th of 8 on cost. USHY, which holds US-dollar high-yield bonds rather than international ones, charges 0.08%. SPHY charges 0.05%. IHY, the closest international match, also charges 0.40%. Over long holding periods, a higher fee takes a bigger share of the fund's return.
How much did HYXU lose in 2022?
HYXU lost 15.58% in calendar 2022, its worst year since its price history begins in 2017. It fell 28.4% from its January 12, 2022 peak to its September 27, 2022 low. It didn't get back to that peak until August 14, 2024, about 22.6 months later. Bond prices fall when interest rates rise, and high-yield bonds also tend to drop when investors worry more about defaults.