At a glance
STXE charges 0.32% a year. It has $150.0M in assets; it paid 3.03% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +35.1% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%); over three years it returned +28.2% a year. Its ten largest positions make up 52.5% of the fund, out of 195 in all.
The short version
Strive Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF (STXE) is an index fund that tracks the Bloomberg Emerging Markets ex China Large & Mid Cap Index. The index covers large and mid-sized companies in 24 developing economies and leaves out China. The fund charges 0.32% a year. Its holdings are concentrated. As of June 30, 2026, Taiwan Semiconductor (18.84%), Samsung Electronics (13.23%) and SK hynix (10.5%) were its three largest holdings.
Price history
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STXE +35.1% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STXE official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +34.02% | — | — | — | +16.04% |
| STXE price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +32.0% | +35.1% | +28.2% | — | — | +20.7% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, STXE returned +35.1%.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2024 (+2.1%); its best was 2025 (+34.2%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 20.4% (Jun 22, 2026 to Jul 29, 2026), not yet recovered.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +32.0% | — |
| 2025 | +34.2% | +34.02% |
| 2024 | +2.1% | +3.30% |
| 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 | Before this security existed |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Before this security existed |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $1.2100 | |
| 2025 | $0.9500 | +6.7% |
| 2024 | $0.8900 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 195 securities; the ten largest made up 52.49% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd | 18.84% | |
| Samsung Electronics Co Ltd | 13.23% | |
| SK hynix Inc | 10.50% | |
| MediaTek Inc | 1.94% | |
| HDFC Bank Ltd | 1.56% | |
| Samsung Electronics Co Ltd Preferred stock | 1.48% | |
| Al Rajhi Bank | 1.38% | |
| ICICI Bank Ltd | 1.29% | |
| Delta Electronics Inc | 1.17% | |
| Reliance Industries Ltd | 1.10% | |
| SK Square Co Ltd | 1.04% | |
| Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd | 0.98% | |
| Grupo Mexico SAB de CV | 0.96% | |
| Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co Ltd | 0.90% | |
| ASE Technology Holding Co Ltd | 0.73% |
By country
South Korea 33.16%Taiwan 32.28%India 12.53%Brazil 4.09%Saudi Arabia 3.89%By asset type
Stocks 97.05%Preferred stock 2.92%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors withdrew a net $4.8M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +18.47%, +15.44%, +0.61%.
How it works
STXE follows the Bloomberg Emerging Markets ex China Large & Mid Cap Index. Strive Asset Management, the sub-adviser, runs it passively. That means it tries to match the index, not beat it. The index provider sorts common stocks and real estate investment trusts (REITs) from 24 emerging markets by country. It then screens them for free-float market value, which counts only shares the public can actually trade, and for trading volume and share price. Starting with the largest company, it adds stocks until it covers about 85% of the total free-float value. Bigger companies get bigger weights. The index generally holds over 500 securities, with heavy exposure to India, Taiwan, South Korea, technology and financials.
The index changes its member list twice a year, in March and September, and resets weights every quarter. The fund follows the same schedule. Newly listed companies must trade for at least three months before they can join. Stocks under US, UN, UK or EU sanctions can be excluded or dropped.
The fund usually uses "representative sampling." Instead of buying every stock in the index, it holds a smaller set chosen to behave like the whole. As of June 30, 2026, it had 195 holdings. It may hold depositary receipts, which are certificates that trade on one exchange and represent shares of a foreign company. It does not move to cash when markets fall. Portfolio turnover was 18%.
What it really costs
- STXE charges 0.32% a year.
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $33 in the first year and $406 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STXE | $33 | $103 | $180 | $406 |
In a retirement portfolio
It adds emerging-market stocks outside China, but it bets heavily on a few Asian chip companies, which makes it volatile, so it fits better as a smaller add-on than as a core position.
STXE launched January 31, 2023, so it has no record in the 2008, 2020 or 2022 downturns. Its weakest calendar year, 2024, still gained 3.3%. Its worst quarter, in late 2024, lost 6.74%. Its deepest drop was 20.4%, from June 22 to July 29, 2026, and it had not recovered that loss by October 27, 2026. Its three largest holdings as of June 30, 2026, were all chip companies: Taiwan Semiconductor (18.8%), Samsung Electronics (13.2%) and SK hynix (10.5%). A retiree who has to sell shares during a chip slump could lock in losses.
The fund pays income quarterly. Its trailing yield (past-year income as a share of price) was 3.03% as of October 27, 2026. The expense ratio (yearly fee) is 0.32%. In the SEC's standard example, that comes to about $33 in year one and $406 over 10 years on $10,000. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should weigh the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want emerging market stocks without Chinese companies, through a passive index fund that charges 0.32% a year.
- Investors comfortable with a big bet on chipmakers: Taiwan Semiconductor, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix led the fund as of June 30, 2026.
- Investors who keep it as a small slice and can sit through drops like its 20.4% fall from June to July 2026.
Look elsewhere if
- Investors who want broad emerging market exposure that includes China, which this fund leaves out by design.
- Investors who need stable values: one-year volatility was 32% and beta was 1.76 as of October 27, 2026, so it swung more than the broad market.
- Investors who want a long track record. It launched in January 2023 and has no history through the 2008, 2020 or 2022 downturns.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
No close alternatives found.
Questions investors ask
Does STXE include China?
No. STXE tracks the Bloomberg Emerging Markets ex China Large & Mid Cap Index, which leaves out China by design. It covers 24 other emerging markets, including Brazil, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea and Taiwan. Most of its money sits in a few of them. As of June 30, 2026, South Korea was 33.16% of the fund, Taiwan 32.28% and India 12.53%.
What are STXE's top holdings?
Three tech companies lead it. As of June 30, 2026, Taiwan Semiconductor made up 18.84% of the fund, Samsung Electronics 13.23% (plus 1.48% in Samsung preferred shares) and SK hynix 10.5%. MediaTek, HDFC Bank, Al Rajhi Bank, ICICI Bank, Delta Electronics and Reliance Industries came next, each under 2%. The top 10 positions were 52.49% of the fund's 195 holdings. That makes it far less spread out than its 24-country list suggests.
Does STXE pay monthly dividends?
No. STXE pays dividends quarterly. Its trailing 12-month yield was 3.03% as of October 27, 2026, or about $1.40 per share. Those dividends come from the companies the fund owns, so the amount can change from one payment to the next. Many of those companies are in South Korea, Taiwan and India, so currency moves against the US dollar can also affect what holders receive.
What is STXE's expense ratio?
STXE's expense ratio is 0.32% a year, according to its prospectus filed October 28, 2026. That is all management fee, with no fee waiver. In the SEC's standard example, $10,000 invested with a 5% yearly return would cost about $33 after one year, $103 after three, $180 after five and $406 after ten. It is worth comparing that cost with other emerging market funds, both those that exclude China and those that include it.
How has STXE performed since launch?
Strongly so far, though the record is short. The prospectus shows a 3.3% return in 2024 and 34.02% in 2025, and an average annual return of 16.04% from launch through December 31, 2025. Based on price, it gained 35.1% over the year to October 27, 2026. Its strongest quarter was up 14.44% (second quarter of 2025). Its weakest was down 6.74% (fourth quarter of 2024). It also fell 20.4% between June and July 2026.