London Stock Exchange ETF segment · UCITS ETF
Invest in WSML ETF from India
Indian and foreign residents can buy iShares MSCI World Small UCITS ETF (WSML) units directly through Paasa.
By Paasa · Updated
WSML at a glance
- Price
- $10.23+$0.08 (0.79%)
- Expense ratio
- 0.35%
- Day range
- $10.18 – $10.26
- Assets
- $8.8B
- Domicile
- Ireland
- Holdings
- 3,580
- Launched
- 2018
- Dividends
- Accumulating
- 1 month
- -4.12%
- 6 months
- +12.91%
- YTD
- +12.17%
- 1 year
- +16.78%
- 5 years
- +40.37%
Price change, excluding dividends.
Top 10 holdings
- 1MODERNA0.6%
- 2TENET HEALTHCARE CORP0.2%
- 3GUARDANT HEALTH0.2%
- 4VIATRIS0.2%
- 5US FOODS HOLDING0.2%
- 6ROKU CLASS A0.2%
- 7ROYAL GOLD0.2%
- 8WOODWARD0.2%
- 9MACOM TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS0.2%
- 10TD SYNNEX0.2%
WSML holds 3,580 securities in total. These 10 are 2.4% of the fund.
Where the money is invested
Sectors
- Industrials18.5%
- Technology15.0%
- Financial Services13.9%
- Healthcare11.5%
- Consumer Cyclical10.8%
- Real Estate7.9%
Countries
- United States59.4%
- Japan12.7%
- Canada4.4%
- United Kingdom4.1%
- Australia3.7%
- Sweden1.7%
Similar funds
| Fund | Expense ratio | Assets |
|---|---|---|
| WSMLNASDAQiShares MSCI World Small-Cap ETF | 0.3% | 660.8M |
Assets are shown in each fund's own reporting currency.
How to invest in WSML 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 WSML and buy
Find the fund by its ticker, WSML, on the London Stock Exchange ETF segment, and place your order.
Why invest in WSML from India
What WSML holds
This investment vehicle aims to replicate the financial results generated by smaller-cap businesses situated within developed economies worldwide.
Outside US estate tax
WSML is domiciled in Ireland, not the US, so it is not a US-situs asset and US estate tax does not apply to it.
Dividends reinvested for you
Dividends from WSML's 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
WSML 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.
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.
Why WSML's UCITS structure matters for Indian investors
WSML is domiciled in Ireland, not the US, so it is not a US-situs asset and US estate tax does not apply to it.
On the US shares the fund holds, the 15% US dividend withholding is paid inside the fund, and you cannot claim it as a Foreign Tax Credit in India.
Capital gains are taxed in India the same way as on a US-listed ETF.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy WSML from India?
Yes. Indian residents can buy iShares MSCI World Small UCITS ETF (WSML) through Paasa. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange ETF segment 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 WSML invest in?
iShares MSCI World Small UCITS ETF holds 3,580 securities. Its largest holdings are MODERNA (0.6%), TENET HEALTHCARE CORP (0.2%) and GUARDANT HEALTH (0.2%). Industrials is its largest sector at 18.5%. It is an accumulating fund domiciled in Ireland.
What is the expense ratio of WSML?
iShares MSCI World Small UCITS ETF has an expense ratio of 0.35% a year, taken from the fund's assets rather than billed to you. The fund manages about $8.8B.
Is WSML a UCITS ETF, and why does that matter for Indian investors?
Yes. iShares MSCI World Small UCITS ETF is a UCITS fund domiciled in Ireland. Because it is domiciled outside the US, it is not a US-situs asset, so US estate tax does not apply to it. On the US shares the fund holds, the 15% US dividend withholding is paid inside the fund, and you cannot claim it as a Foreign Tax Credit in India.
Does WSML pay dividends?
No. iShares MSCI World Small UCITS 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 WSML?
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.