NASDAQ · ETF
Invest in EWZS ETF from India
Indian and foreign residents can buy iShares MSCI Brazil Small- ETF (EWZS) units directly through Paasa.
By Paasa · Updated
EWZS at a glance
- Price
- $12.78-$0.04 (0.31%)
- Expense ratio
- 0.59%
- Day range
- $12.72 – $12.84
- Assets
- $234.8M
- Domicile
- the US
- Holdings
- 68
- Launched
- 2010
- Dividends
- Accumulating
- 1 month
- +1.75%
- 6 months
- -7.66%
- YTD
- -1.92%
- 1 year
- -7.86%
- 5 years
- -20.17%
Price change, excluding dividends.
Top 10 holdings
- 1TOTVSTOTS3.SA6.0%
- 2COMPANHIA DE SANEAMENTO DE MINAS GCSMG3.SA4.6%
- 3SENDAS DISTRIBUIDORAASAI3.SA4.5%
- 4ALLOS SAALOS3.SA3.7%
- 5LOJAS RENNERLREN3.SA3.5%
- 6MULTIPLAN EMPREENDIMENTOS IMOBILIAMULT3.SA3.4%
- 7METALURGICA GERDAU PREF SAGOAU4.SA3.1%
- 8STONECO CLASS ASTNE3.0%
- 9SMARTFIT ESCOLA DE GINASTICA E DAN2.8%
- 10ISA ENERGIA BRASIL PREF SAISAE4.SA2.8%
EWZS holds 68 securities in total. These 10 are 37.5% of the fund.
Where the money is invested
Sectors
- Utilities16.4%
- Real Estate15.0%
- Consumer Defensive10.7%
- Basic Materials10.3%
- Technology9.5%
- Industrials8.9%
Countries
- Brazil97.9%
- Cayman Islands1.1%
- Other1.0%
How to invest in EWZS 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 EWZS and buy
Find the fund by its ticker, EWZS, 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 EWZS from India
What EWZS holds
EWZS is essentially a bet on the sectors that dominate the Brazillian small-cap market. That being said, it still invests in a variety of different sectors, giving it a broader classification.
Dividends reinvested for you
Dividends from EWZS' holdings are reinvested inside the fund, so nothing is paid out to you and there is no dividend to declare in India.
Hold a dollar asset
EWZS 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 EWZS 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 EWZS from India?
Yes. Indian residents can buy iShares MSCI Brazil Small- ETF (EWZS) 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 EWZS invest in?
iShares MSCI Brazil Small- ETF holds 68 securities. Its largest holdings are TOTVS (6.0%), COMPANHIA DE SANEAMENTO DE MINAS G (4.6%) and SENDAS DISTRIBUIDORA (4.5%). Utilities is its largest sector at 16.4%. It is an accumulating fund domiciled in the US.
What is the expense ratio of EWZS?
iShares MSCI Brazil Small- ETF has an expense ratio of 0.59% a year, taken from the fund's assets rather than billed to you. The fund manages about $234.8M.
Does EWZS pay dividends?
No. iShares MSCI Brazil Small- ETF is an accumulating fund. Dividends from its holdings are reinvested inside the fund, so nothing is paid out to you and there is no dividend to declare in India.
What tax do I pay in India when I sell EWZS?
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 EWZS unit?
Yes. You can buy by amount rather than by unit and add to your position over time. One unit is $12.78, and there is no minimum trade size.
What happens to my EWZS 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.