Getting International Exposure in ETFs Isn't Always an Easy Choice. Is SPGM or IEFA the Better Buy for 2026?

SPGM and IEFA offer different approaches to international equity exposure. SPGM provides global exposure including 63% U.S. holdings and has outperformed IEFA with 23.1% one-year returns versus 19.9%. IEFA focuses exclusively on developed markets outside North America with higher dividend yield (3.4% vs 1.8%) and lower expense ratio (0.07% vs 0.09%). The choice depends on whether investors already have U.S. exposure elsewhere in their portfolio.