NASDAQ · ETF
Invest in ACWX ETF from India
Indian and foreign residents can buy iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF (ACWX) units directly through Paasa.
By Paasa · Updated
ACWX at a glance
- Price
- $73.66+$0.01 (0.01%)
- Expense ratio
- 0.32%
- Day range
- $73.16 – $73.71
- Assets
- $18.0B
- Domicile
- the US
- Holdings
- 1,862
- Launched
- 2008
- Dividends
- Distributing
- 1 month
- -0.90%
- 6 months
- -2.32%
- YTD
- +9.24%
- 1 year
- +10.67%
- 5 years
- +27.42%
Price change, excluding dividends.
Top 10 holdings
- 1TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING4.9%
- 2SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS LTD2.0%
- 3ASML HOLDING1.6%
- 4SK HYNIX1.5%
- 5ROCHE PS PAR AG1.0%
- 6TENCENT HOLDINGS0.9%
- 7HSBC HOLDINGS PLC0.9%
- 8NOVARTIS AG0.8%
- 9ROYAL BANK OF CANADA0.8%
- 10SHELL0.8%
ACWX holds 1,862 securities in total. These 10 are 15.1% of the fund.
Where the money is invested
Sectors
- Financials25.8%
- Information Technology18.8%
- Industrials13.8%
- Consumer Discretionary7.8%
- Health Care7.7%
- Materials6.7%
Countries
- Japan13.7%
- United Kingdom8.9%
- Canada8.8%
- Other8.6%
- Taiwan8.3%
- China6.7%
How to invest in ACWX from India
Step 1
Open your Paasa account
KYC takes a few minutes: PAN, Aadhaar and address proof. Your brokerage account is opened in your own name with Interactive Brokers.
Step 2
Add funds from your Indian bank account
Remit up to $250,000 a year under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme. Your bank converts the rupees to US dollars at its rate on the day you remit.
Step 3
Search ACWX and buy
Find the fund by its ticker, ACWX, on NASDAQ, and place your order. Fractional units are available and there is no minimum trade size, so you can buy by amount.
Why invest in ACWX from India
What ACWX holds
The iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF (ACWX) is designed to replicate the financial performance of an underlying market index. This index comprises equity securities issued by substantial, mid-capitalization companies located in countries other than the United States.
Hold a dollar asset
ACWX is priced in US dollars, so a weaker rupee adds to what it's worth in rupees. The rupee depreciated over 85% against the dollar between 2010 and 2025.
Buy a fraction of a unit
Buy by amount, not by unit, and get the matching fraction of one ACWX unit. There is no minimum trade size.
Paasa handles the paperwork
Investing abroad brings paperwork with it: remittance filings, capital gains reporting, foreign asset disclosure. Paasa prepares all of it for you. Your India-ready tax reports arrive at year end, ready to file.
Planning to hold more than $60,000 in US ETFs? Here's what US estate tax means for you.
US-domiciled ETFs held in your own name fall under US estate tax rules. If your US holdings cross $60,000, the amount above that can be taxed at up to 40% when the account passes to your family.
A UCITS ETF tracking a similar market sits outside US estate tax.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy ACWX from India?
Yes. Indian residents can buy iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF (ACWX) through Paasa. It is listed on NASDAQ and trades in US dollars. Your money leaves India under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme, and the units are held in your own name at Interactive Brokers.
What does ACWX invest in?
iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF holds 1,862 securities. Its largest holdings are TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING (4.9%), SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS LTD (2.0%) and ASML HOLDING (1.6%). Financials is its largest sector at 25.8%. It is a distributing fund domiciled in the US.
What is the expense ratio of ACWX?
iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF has an expense ratio of 0.32% a year, taken from the fund's assets rather than billed to you. The fund manages about $18.0B.
How are ACWX dividends taxed in India?
iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF is a distributing fund. It pays the dividends from its holdings out to you in cash. The US withholds 25% tax on dividends before they reach you; Paasa files Form W-8BEN for you, and the tax withheld can generally be claimed as a credit when you file in India. Dividends are taxed at your slab rate in India. Paasa's dividend report lists the gross dividend and any tax withheld for each payment.
What tax do I pay in India when I sell ACWX?
The US does not levy capital gains tax on shares for Indian residents. In India, gains on foreign ETF units held for more than 24 months are long-term and taxed at 12.5% without indexation, and gains on units held for 24 months or less are short-term and taxed at your income-tax slab rate. Both are worked out in rupees at the USD/INR rate on the day you bought and the day you sold, so the currency move is part of the gain. Paasa's capital-gains statement gives you the figures for your return.
Can I buy a fraction of one ACWX unit?
Yes. You can buy by amount rather than by unit and add to your position over time. One unit is $73.66, and there is no minimum trade size.
What happens to my ACWX units if I pass away?
US-domiciled ETFs held in your own name fall under US estate tax rules. If your US holdings cross $60,000, the amount above that can be taxed at up to 40% when the account passes to your family. A UCITS ETF tracking a similar market sits outside US estate tax. Paasa's US estate tax calculator shows the exposure for a given portfolio value.