Schwab International Equity ETF

Schwab International Equity ETF (SCHF) is an index fund that tracks the FTSE Developed ex US Index. The index holds large and mid-size companies in developed countries outside the United States, led by Japan, the UK and Canada. Its expense ratio (yearly fee) of 0.03% ties for the lowest among similar funds, which average 0.11%. It is also widely spread, with 1,475 holdings and 13.8% in its top 10 holdings as of August 31, 2026.

• Over the year to Nov 2, 2026, SCHF returned +17.7%, 2nd of 9 among similar funds.
• Its 5-year annualized return was +9.4% and its 10-year +10.0%.
• In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 33.5% and regained its old high 7.6 months after the low.
• Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-14.8%); its best was 2025 (+34.5%).
• The deepest fall in its price history was 34.9% (Jan 26, 2018 to Mar 23, 2020), recovered by Nov 11, 2020.

As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 1,475 securities; the ten largest made up 13.79% of assets.

• Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors added a net $2.04B (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
• Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: -0.51%, +0.18%, +2.61%.

SCHF is an index fund that aims to match the total return of the FTSE Developed ex US Index, before fees. The index, from London Stock Exchange Group's FTSE, covers large and mid-size companies in developed countries outside the United States. As of August 31, 2025, it had 1,428 stocks in 24 countries. The fund follows the index through rises and falls and does not try to sidestep declines. Portfolio turnover, the share of holdings replaced in a year, was 4%, meaning little trading.

Schwab may not own every stock in the index. It uses sampling: holding a selection that, taken together, should behave like the whole index, based on country weights, company size, industry, risk and tax factors. At least 90% of net assets normally goes into index stocks, including depositary receipts (certificates that represent a foreign company's shares). Up to 10% can go elsewhere, such as stocks expected to join the index or futures contracts that keep spare cash invested. As of August 31, 2026, the fund had 1,475 holdings, 0.5% in cash and one tiny futures position.

The fund does not hedge currencies, so a stronger dollar trims returns for US investors and a weaker one adds to them. It may also lend securities to help offset costs, which risks a borrower failing to return them.

• SCHF charges 0.03% a year, versus an average of 0.11% for the similar funds below (1st of 9, cheapest first).
• Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $3 in the first year and $39 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).

Its 0.03% expense ratio and wide spread across developed markets outside the US make it a broad, low-cost base for the international share of a stock allocation.

SCHF could give a US-focused portfolio a cheap stake in firms such as Samsung Electronics, ASML, Roche and Nestle. Under the SEC's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost $3 in the first year and $39 over 10 years. An all-stock fund launched in November 2009, it has no 2008 crisis record. It fell 33.5% in the 2020 COVID crash and was back by November 9, 2020. In 2022 it fell 28.4% and took until February 20, 2024, to recover. Its worst calendar year was 2022, at -14.9%. Its deepest drop, 34.9% from January 2018 to March 2020, was regained by November 11, 2020. Cashing out during such stretches locks in losses.

Its dividend yield over the past 12 months was 3.13% as of October 27, 2026. It pays twice a year, so income arrives in lumps. Past results don't predict future returns, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.

Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.

Compared head to head: SCHF vs VXUS · all comparisons →