Rare Earths ETFs Compared: REMX, EART, REXC and WDIG
Four US-listed ETFs now offer rare-earths or strategic-metals exposure, but the shared label hides four different portfolios. REMX is a broad strategic-metals equity fund. EART reaches across critical-material miners. REXC applies a focused ex-China rare-earths screen. WDIG combines mining equities with strategic-metals futures in an actively managed, capital-efficient structure. This comparison separates those mandates before looking at cost, assets, trading activity and holdings.
Key Points
- The mandates differ materially. REMX is a broad strategic-metals equity fund, EART spans critical-material miners, REXC applies a focused ex-China rare-earths screen, and WDIG combines mining equities with strategic-metals futures.
- REXC and WDIG launched in 2026. WDIG’s futures overlay also means its gross exposures and holdings percentages are not directly comparable with the three equity-only funds.
- AUM is a scale measure, not a complete liquidity measure. Compare recent share volume and the bid-ask spread shown by your broker before trading.
Choose by Priority
Match the fund structure to the exposure you want: a longer record, broad critical-material equities, an ex-China screen, or a hybrid equity-and-futures strategy.
| Fund | Closest fit | Main strength | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| REMX | Longest record; broad strategic-metals equities | Longest operating record and largest current asset base in the group | Not concentrated in rare earths |
| EART | Broad critical-materials equities | Diversified across several critical-material supply chains | Rare-earth exposure is only one part of the portfolio |
| REXC | Focused ex-China rare-earth equities | Rare earths pure play, with focused company eligibility rules | Short operating history |
| WDIG | Hybrid equities plus strategic-metals futures | Direct strategic-metals futures exposure alongside equities | Very short operating history |
Fund Comparison at a Glance
| Fund | Strategy / index | Inception | AUM (USD) | Exp. Ratio | Exchange |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REMXVanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF | MVIS Global Rare Earth/Strategic Metals | Oct 2010 | $2.3B | 0.53% | NYSE Arca |
| EARTGlobal X Rare Earth & Critical Materials ETF | Solactive Rare Earth & Critical Materials Index | Jan 2022 | $42M | 0.59% | Nasdaq |
| REXCSprott Rare Earths Ex-China ETF | Nasdaq Sprott Rare Earths Ex-China Index | Apr 2026 | $86M | 0.65% | Nasdaq |
| WDIGWisdomTree Efficient Rare Earth Plus Strategic Metals Fund | Actively managed | May 2026 | $4.9M | 0.55% | Cboe BZX |
Where the Assets Sit
Tile area = assets under management, as of August 14, 2026. Combined AUM $2.4B across 4 funds. Colored tiles are the funds compared in this guide; gray tiles are the rest of the universe. Full universe: every fund on the list.
What’s Actually in These ETFs?
GSR classification of reported equity positions by each company’s primary material exposure; cash is excluded. This may differ from an issuer’s own classification. Dates are shown on each card.
Shared Equity Positions
7 companies appear in at least 3 of the 4 loaded equity portfolios. Weight bars show position sizing on a shared scale where a full bar is 19.89% of net assets; funds without a comparable full equity snapshot are omitted. Snapshot date(s): August 12, 2026; August 13, 2026.
6.61%
2.56%
19.22%
2.34%
7.1%
3.28%
19.89%
3.0135%
7.59%
3.06%
Not held
1.2119%
7.42%
3.56%
Not held
1.048%
3.98%
Not held
5.02%
2.4674%
2.05%
0.35%
Not held
0.261%
Show 1 more shared positionHide the extra shared position
1.16%
0.27%
Not held
0.396%
Fund-by-Fund Comparison
VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF
VanEck’s REMX tracks the MVIS Global Rare Earth/Strategic Metals Index. It is the oldest and largest fund here, but it is not a pure rare-earth portfolio: lithium and other strategic-metals companies sit alongside rare-earth miners and processors, including China-listed names.
Strengths
- Longest operating record and largest current asset base in the group
- Broad global strategic-metals equity exposure
Trade-offs
- Not concentrated in rare earths
- Includes China-listed companies
| Ticker | Top equity position | Mkt cap | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALB |  Albemarle Corp |
$16B | 7.59% |
| PLS AU |  PLS Group |
$11B | 7.42% |
| LYC AU |  Lynas Rare Earths Ltd |
$12B | 7.1% |
| 600111 C1 |  China Northern Rare Earth Group |
$23B | 6.84% |
| MP |  MP Materials Corp |
$10B | 6.61% |
Top 5 positions from the complete reported equity portfolio dated August 12, 2026. Source: VanEck holdings file. Cash excluded. Market caps as of August 15, 2026.
Global X Rare Earth & Critical Materials ETF
Global X’s EART tracks the Solactive Rare Earth and Critical Materials Index. Its holdings span large diversified miners and producers tied to copper, lithium, platinum-group metals and rare earths, making it a broad critical-materials portfolio rather than a focused rare-earth fund.
Strengths
- Diversified across several critical-material supply chains
- Exposure to large, established miners
Trade-offs
- Rare-earth exposure is only one part of the portfolio
- Includes China-listed companies
| Ticker | Top equity position | Mkt cap | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAL LN |  Anglo American PLC |
$56B | 5.25% |
| GMEXICOB MM | $99B | 4.94% | |
| FCX |  Freeport-McMoRan Inc |
$93B | 4.93% |
| SCCO |  Southern Copper Corp |
$156B | 4.72% |
| ANTO LN |  Antofagasta PLC |
$48B | 4.66% |
Top 5 positions from the complete reported equity portfolio dated August 12, 2026. Source: Global X holdings file. Cash excluded. Market caps as of August 16, 2026.
Sprott Rare Earths Ex-China ETF
Sprott’s REXC launched in April 2026 and tracks the Nasdaq Sprott Rare Earths Ex-China Index. The fund’s 80% policy targets companies involved in rare-earth mining, exploration, development or production, while the index excludes companies domiciled in China. That creates a more focused but more concentrated equity portfolio.
Strengths
- Rare earths pure play, with focused company eligibility rules
- Explicit ex-China index screen
Trade-offs
- Short operating history
- Higher company concentration
| Ticker | Top equity position | Mkt cap | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| LYC AU | Lynas Rare Earths Ltd |
$12B | 19.89% |
| MP | MP Materials Corp |
$10B | 19.22% |
| SRL AU |  Sunrise Energy Metals Ltd |
$2.1B | 5.92% |
| NEO CN |  Neo Performance Materials Inc |
$1.2B | 5.78% |
| ILU AU |  Iluka Resources Ltd |
$2.2B | 5.02% |
Top 5 positions from the complete reported equity portfolio dated August 12, 2026. Source: Sprott holdings file. Cash excluded. Market caps as of August 15, 2026.
WisdomTree Efficient Rare Earth Plus Strategic Metals Fund
WisdomTree’s actively managed WDIG launched in May 2026. It combines a basket of strategic-metals and rare-earth mining equities with commodity-metals futures, using cash and collateral to support the overlay. Because the strategy can carry overlapping equity and futures exposures, its portfolio percentages are not directly comparable with the three equity-only ETFs.
Strengths
- Direct strategic-metals futures exposure alongside equities
- Distinct return drivers from equity-only funds
Trade-offs
- Very short operating history
- Futures introduce roll-yield, collateral and derivatives risks
| Ticker | Top equity position | Mkt cap | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| WTWDIGCAY | WTWWisdomTree Cayman Subsidiary (Metals Futures) | — | 13.6741% |
| ATI | ATIAllegheny Technologies Inc | — | 4.8403% |
| MTRN | MTRMaterion Corp | — | 4.1374% |
| LYC AU | Lynas Rare Earths Ltd |
$12B | 3.0135% |
| ILU AU | Iluka Resources Ltd |
$2.2B | 2.4674% |
Top 5 positions from the complete reported equity portfolio dated August 13, 2026. Source: WisdomTree holdings file. Cash excluded. Market caps as of August 15, 2026.
Size, Trading Activity, and Costs
| Metric | REMX | EART | REXC | WDIG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUM | $2.3B | $42M | $86M | $4.9M |
| Expense ratio | 0.53% | 0.59% | 0.65% | 0.55% |
| Avg daily volume (3m) | 837,927 | 18,679 | 137,903 | 1,730 |
| 2026 return | ▲ +6.51% | ▲ +8.54% | ▼ -6.74%* | ▼ -12.48%* |
| Track record | 15 yrs | 4 yrs | New (<1 yr) | New (<1 yr) |
* Return is since inception, not year-to-date, for REXC (Apr 2026), WDIG (May 2026).
AUM, average volume and return as of August 14, 2026. Fund data is sourced from issuer fund pages and documents.
Risks
Rare-earth and strategic-metals prices can be volatile and policy-sensitive. Export controls, permitting decisions, subsidies and changes in demand can move the underlying companies quickly.
EART, REXC and WDIG have much smaller asset bases than REMX. Smaller funds can trade with wider spreads and may face greater closure risk, although AUM alone does not establish either outcome. Check the current bid-ask spread, order-book depth and recent dollar volume before placing a trade.
The label ‘rare earths’ is not standardized across these products. REMX and EART include companies tied to other strategic materials. REXC uses its own revenue-or-asset eligibility rules. WDIG adds commodity-futures exposure, which introduces collateral, roll-yield and derivatives risks alongside equity risk.
REXC and WDIG launched in 2026, so neither has been tested through a full market cycle.
Conclusion
Start with the exposure you actually want. REMX offers the longest operating record and a broad strategic-metals equity basket. EART is the broadest critical-materials equity portfolio in this group. REXC is the focused ex-China rare-earths equity screen. WDIG is the outlier for investors specifically seeking a combined equity-and-futures approach.
Cost, AUM and trading activity matter, but they do not replace a mandate check. Review the current holdings, spread and order type before buying, particularly in the three newer or smaller funds.
For the full fund universe, see our rare earth ETF list. To compare the underlying companies, start with the rare earth stocks list.
References
- VanEck, REMX fund page and holdings download, accessed August 14 2026.
- Global X, EART fund page and full holdings, accessed August 14 2026.
- Sprott, REXC fund page, holdings and prospectus links, accessed August 14 2026.
- WisdomTree, WDIG fund page, strategy, costs and holdings, accessed August 14 2026.
- Cboe, WDIG new-listing notice, May 7 2026.