Fidelity Emerging Markets Index Fund
Figures last verified October 31, 2026
Tracks the MSCI Emerging Markets Index — large and mid-cap stocks in China, India, Taiwan, Brazil, and other emerging economies.
At 0.075% with no minimum, FPADX is about the cheapest ticket to emerging markets in the mutual fund format — half VEMAX's fee, and a tenth of what active EM funds typically charge for the privilege of underperforming this index. The portfolio is the MSCI EM standard: China, India, and Taiwan dominate, with the usual long tail of smaller markets.
Everything true of emerging markets generally applies with force here: spectacular decades alternate with lost ones, currency and political risk are features not bugs, and the asset class punishes anyone who buys after a hot run. If a broad international fund's built-in EM weight isn't enough for you, this is the right tool for a deliberate overweight — sized, ideally, at single-digit percentages of the portfolio.
The cheapest dedicated emerging-markets index fund.
FPADX alternatives & comparable funds
If you’re weighing FPADX against the field, these are the funds most investors line it up against — same job, different provider, slightly different terms.
| Fund | Family | Expense Ratio | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| FPADX — Fidelity Emerging Markets Index Fund | Fidelity | 0.075% | $0 |
| VEMAX — Vanguard Emerging Markets … | Vanguard | 0.14% | $3,000 |
| FTIHX — Fidelity Total International Index Fund | Fidelity | 0.06% | $0 |
| VTIAX — Vanguard Total Internation… | Vanguard | 0.09% | $3,000 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the expense ratio of FPADX?
FPADX (Fidelity Emerging Markets Index Fund) has an expense ratio of 0.075%, which works out to roughly $7.50 per year for every $10,000 invested. That is very low by industry standards, where the average fund still charges well over 0.40%.
What is the minimum investment for FPADX?
FPADX has no minimum initial investment — you can start with any amount.
What does FPADX invest in?
Tracks the MSCI Emerging Markets Index — large and mid-cap stocks in China, India, Taiwan, Brazil, and other emerging economies. It falls in the emerging markets category and is an index fund.
What are good alternatives to FPADX?
The funds most often compared with FPADX are VEMAX, FTIHX, VTIAX — broadly similar exposure from different providers, with small differences in fee, minimum, and portability that usually come down to which brokerage holds your account.
Expense ratio and minimum for FPADX drawn from Fidelity fund documentation; last verified October 31, 2026. Figures change — confirm against the official prospectus before investing. This review is editorial opinion, not investment advice.