At a glance
URTH charges 0.24% a year, above the 0.07% average of the 8 funds most like it (the 8th cheapest of 9). It has $8.22B in assets, the 4th largest of that group; it paid 1.37% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, semiannual. Over the past year it returned +13.1% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 2nd of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +23.6% a year. At its worst it fell 26.0% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 14 months after the low. Its ten largest positions make up 26.6% of the fund, out of 1,294 in all.
The short version
The iShares MSCI World ETF (URTH) is a BlackRock index fund that tracks the MSCI World Index. The index covers large and mid-sized companies in developed countries, and the fund had 1,294 holdings as of August 31, 2026. US stocks made up about 70% of the fund, led by NVIDIA, Apple and Microsoft. Its 0.24% expense ratio is well above the 0.07% average of similar funds. That higher cost is the main trade-off for getting global coverage in one fund.
Price history
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URTH +13.1% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| URTH official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2024 | — | +18.72% | — | +11.32% | +10.17% | — |
| MSCI All Country World Index index, same period | — | +17.49% | — | +10.06% | +9.23% | — |
| MSCI World Index index, same period | — | +18.67% | — | +11.17% | +9.95% | — |
| URTH price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +12.5% | +13.1% | +23.6% | +11.1% | — | +15.3% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, URTH returned +13.1%, 2nd of 9 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +11.1%.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-17.9%); its best was 2023 (+24.0%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 26% (Jan 3, 2022 to Oct 12, 2022), recovered by Dec 19, 2023.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +12.5% | — |
| 2025 | +21.4% | — |
| 2024 | +18.7% | +18.72% |
| 2023 | +24.0% | +23.93% |
| 2022 | -17.9% | -17.95% |
| 2021 | +22.3% | +22.01% |
| 2020 | — | +16.09% |
| 2019 | — | +28.08% |
| 2018 | — | -8.37% |
| 2017 | — | +22.51% |
| 2016 | — | +7.84% |
| 2015 | — | -0.62% |
| 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 | Not in the price data, which starts Jun 2, 2020 |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 26% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 26%, back to its old high 14.2 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $1.3400 | |
| 2025 | $2.7600 | +20.5% |
| 2024 | $2.2900 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $2.2600 | +22.8% |
| 2022 | $1.8400 | -9.4% |
| 2021 | $2.0300 |
What's inside
As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 1,294 securities; the ten largest made up 26.56% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA CORPORATION | 5.55% | |
| APPLE INC. | 5.06% | |
| MICROSOFT CORPORATION | 3.89% | |
| AMAZON.COM, INC. | 2.74% | |
| ALPHABET INC. Class A | 2.15% | |
| BROADCOM INC. | 1.81% | |
| ALPHABET INC. | 1.69% | |
| META PLATFORMS, INC. | 1.37% | |
| MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC. | 1.18% | |
| TESLA, INC. | 1.13% | |
| JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. | 1.04% | |
| ELI LILLY AND COMPANY | 1.01% | |
| ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC. | 0.84% | |
| BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC. | 0.76% | |
| EXXONMOBIL HOLDINGS CORPORATION | 0.73% |
By country
United States 69.76%Japan 5.72%Canada 3.5%United Kingdom 3.43%Switzerland 2.51%By asset type
Stocks 99.41%Other 0.36%By sector
Sectors of the companies held, for the 63.4% of the fund in companies that have a stock page here; other holdings and cash aren't classified. Source: N-PORT holdings report as of Aug 31, 2026. Cash, money-market funds and derivatives are shown separately from the securities list.What changed recently
- Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors withdrew a net $19.5M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: -0.59%, +0.43%, +2.51%.
How it works
The fund tracks the MSCI World Index. MSCI Inc. sponsors the index and is independent of the fund and its manager, BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA). MSCI decides which stocks are in the index and how much each one weighs. As of August 31, 2025, the index covered large and mid-sized companies in 23 developed countries, including the US, Japan, Canada, the UK, Switzerland and Germany. The fund doesn't try to beat the index, and it doesn't move into cash when markets fall or look expensive.
BFA uses "representative sampling." Instead of buying every stock in the index, it may hold a sample chosen to match the index's size, industry mix, price swings and yield. At least 80% of assets go into index stocks or close equivalents, such as depositary receipts (certificates that represent foreign shares). Up to 20% can go into futures, options, swaps, cash and other securities. As of August 31, 2026, the fund also held small stock-index futures positions, including S&P 500, TOPIX, FTSE 100 and Euro Stoxx 50 contracts. Portfolio turnover was 2%, which means very little trading.
Two other mechanics matter. First, the fund may lend out securities worth up to one-third of its total assets. Second, its value is calculated in US dollars, so a drop in a foreign currency against the dollar can lower returns even if the foreign stocks don't move.
What it really costs
- URTH charges 0.24% a year, versus an average of 0.07% for the similar funds below (8th of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $25 in the first year and $306 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| URTH | $25 | $77 | $135 | $306 |
In a retirement portfolio
It spreads money across 1,294 holdings in the US and other developed countries, so it can serve as the main stock holding on its own.
URTH could serve as a single stock core covering the US and other developed markets, but it swings like a stock fund. In the 2022 bear market it fell 26% from January 3 to October 12, 2022. It did not regain its earlier peak until December 19, 2023, about 14 months later. Its worst calendar year was 2022, at −17.95%. Price history before June 2, 2020 isn't available, but the prospectus shows a −21.05% return for the quarter ending March 31, 2020. The fund launched in 2012, so it has no 2008 record. Anyone who may need to sell shares in a bad year could be selling after drops like these.
Income is modest. The trailing yield was 1.37% as of October 27, 2026, paid twice a year. Past results don't predict future ones, and a plan should weigh the whole portfolio, not just one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want one fund holding 1,294 large and mid-sized companies across the US, Japan, Canada, the UK and other developed countries.
- Long-term holders who can ride out stock drops like the 26% fall in 2022, which took about 14 months to recover.
- Buy-and-hold investors who prefer an index approach with very little trading, shown by the fund's 2% portfolio turnover.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors: the 0.24% expense ratio ranks 8th of 9 among similar funds, and the peer average is 0.07%.
- Anyone who wants emerging-market stocks, since the MSCI World Index holds only developed-market companies.
- Investors who want less US exposure or steady income: about 70% sits in US stocks, and the 1.37% yield is paid only twice a year.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| URTH this fund | — | 0.24% | $8.22B | +13.1% | +23.6% |
| KOKU Xtrackers MSCI Kokusai Equity ETF | 85% | 0.09% | $812.7M | +12.8% | +23.9% |
| TOK iShares MSCI Kokusai ETF | 84% | 0.25% | $249.8M | +12.9% | +23.7% |
| BKLC BNY Mellon US Large Cap Core Equity ETF | 68% | 0% | $5.47B | +13.4% | +25.4% |
| VTHR Vanguard Russell 3000 ETF | 68% | 0.07% | $6.41B | +13.1% | +24.5% |
| USPX Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF | 67% | 0.03% | $1.98B | +12.9% | +24.9% |
| VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 67% | 0.03% | $2.30T | +12.5% | +23.4% |
| ITOT iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF | 67% | 0.03% | $94.14B | +11.4% | +21.8% |
Questions investors ask
Is URTH good for retirement?
URTH may suit retirement savers who want broad developed-market stocks in one fund. It held 1,294 stocks as of August 31, 2026, about 70% of them in the US. It still carries full stock-market risk. It fell 26% in 2022 and took about 14 months to recover. Its yield was modest, at 1.37% as of October 27, 2026. Its 0.24% expense ratio is higher than the 0.07% average of similar funds.
What's the difference between URTH and KOKU?
The two funds hold very similar stocks: their holdings overlap by 85%. The biggest difference is cost. The Xtrackers MSCI Kokusai Equity ETF (KOKU) charges 0.09%, compared with 0.24% for URTH. As of October 27, 2026, their returns were close. KOKU returned 12.8% over one year and URTH returned 13.1%. Over three years, KOKU returned 23.9% a year and URTH returned 23.6%. URTH is much larger: its net assets were about $8.2 billion, compared with about $813 million for KOKU, as of August 31, 2026.
Does URTH pay dividends?
Yes, URTH pays dividends twice a year. Over the 12 months through October 27, 2026, it paid $2.84 per share, a trailing yield of 1.37%. That is a fairly low yield, because the fund's largest holdings include companies like NVIDIA, Apple and Microsoft. Investors who need regular monthly income from a fund may find the semiannual schedule and the modest payout limiting.
How much of URTH is invested in the US?
As of August 31, 2026, about 70% of URTH was in US companies. The next-largest countries were Japan at 5.7%, Canada at 3.5%, the UK at 3.4%, Switzerland at 2.5% and Germany at 2.2%. The top holdings were NVIDIA (5.5%), Apple (5.1%), Microsoft (3.9%) and Amazon (2.7%). Ten positions made up 26.6% of the fund, so it leans heavily on large US technology companies.
What is URTH's expense ratio?
URTH's expense ratio is 0.24% a year, according to the prospectus filed December 19, 2025. The SEC's standard example assumes $10,000 invested with a 5% annual return. On that basis, costs come to about $25 after one year, $135 after five years and $306 after ten years. The fund ranks 8th of 9 on cost among similar funds. For comparison, the iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF charges 0.03%, but it holds only US stocks.