How to invest in Germany using ETFs

How do I invest in German stocks?

The easiest way to invest in the whole German stock market is to invest in a broad market index. This can be done at low cost by using ETFs.

On the German stock market you'll find 2 indices which are tracked by ETFs. Besides these indices, 1 alternative index is available.

As further alternative, you can consider indices on the Eurozone.

0.09% p.a. - 0.15% p.a.
annual total expense ratio (TER) of Germany ETFs
on the German stock market, which are tracked by ETFs
on the German stock market
 
The best indices for Germany ETFs

Performance of German stocks (DAX®)

1 month: 1.84%
1 year: 28.26%
3 years: 70.16%
5 years: 83.75%

Indices in comparison

The best indices for ETFs on Germany

For an investment in the German stock market, there are 2 indices available which are tracked by 4 ETFs. On the DAX® index there are 3 ETFs. On the FTSE Germany All Cap index there is 1 ETF. The total expense ratio (TER) of ETFs on these indices is between 0.09% p.a. and 0.15% p.a..

Index Investment focus Number of ETFs Number of constituents Short description

DAX®

Germany 3 ETFs 40
The DAX® index tracks the 40 largest and most traded German stocks listed on the Prime Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Index factsheet

FTSE Germany All Cap

Germany 1 ETF 154
(28/06/2024)
The FTSE Germany All Cap index tracks large, mid and small cap securities from Germany.
Index factsheet
ETF
ISIN
  Fund size
in m GBP
TER
in %
Use of profits Fund domicile Replication method
Xtrackers DAX UCITS ETF 1CLU0274211480 5,241 0.09% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Full replication
Amundi ETF DAX UCITS ETF DRFR0010655712 1,325 0.10% p.a. Accumulating France Full replication
Amundi DAX III UCITS ETF AccLU0252633754 1,006 0.15% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Full replication
Vanguard Germany All Cap UCITS ETF DistributingIE00BG143G97 210 0.10% p.a. Distributing Ireland Full replication
 
Index   1 month
in %
3 months
in %
6 months
in %
1 year
in %
3 years
in %
FTSE Germany All Cap 4.73% 8.36% 22.86% 26.61% 54.51%
DAX® 5.05% 8.01% 23.13% 27.28% 62.30%
Index   2025
in %
2024
in %
2023
in %
2022
in %
2021
in %
DAX® 21.94% 12.84% 17.25% -7.90% 7.20%
FTSE Germany All Cap 22.31% 10.87% 16.82% -12.97% 5.96%

Source: justETF.com; As of 31/05/2025; Calculations in GBP based on the largest ETF of the respective index.

 

The best Germany ETFs
by 1 year return

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The cheapest Germany ETFs
by total expense ratio (TER)

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Alternative investment opportunities

Germany indices on small and mid caps or dividend strategies

Alternatively, you can consider indices on small and mid caps, single sectors or dividend strategies. In order to compare the ETFs for the best German dividend strategies have a look at the Investment Guide on German Dividend Strategies. In total you can invest in 1 alternative index on Germany tracked by 1 ETF. The total expense ratio (TER) of ETFs on these alternative indices is around 0.19% p.a..

 
Index Investment focus Number of ETFs Number of constituents Short description
MDAX® Germany
Mid Cap
1 ETF 50
The MDAX® index tracks 50 German mid cap stocks which are listed on the Prime Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Index factsheet
ETF
ISIN
  Fund size
in m GBP
TER
in %
Use of profits Fund domicile Replication method
Invesco MDAX UCITS ETF AIE00BHJYDV33 1,370 0.19% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Optimized sampling
 
Index   1 month
in %
3 months
in %
6 months
in %
1 year
in %
3 years
in %
MDAX® 5.29% 9.73% 17.06% 12.28% -0.23%
Index   2025
in %
2024
in %
2023
in %
2022
in %
2021
in %
MDAX® 20.85% -10.42% 5.38% -24.76% 6.30%

Source: justETF.com; As of 31/05/2025; Calculations in GBP based on the largest ETF of the respective index.

 

Europe indices with a large share of Germany

Besides Germany ETFs you may consider ETFs on the European stock markets. In total, you can invest in 3 indices on the Eurozone tracked by 17 ETFs. The total expense ratio (TER) of ETFs on the Eurozone is between 0.05% p.a. and 0.18% p.a..

 
Index Investment focus Number of ETFs Number of constituents Short description
EURO STOXX® 50 Europe
Germany: 30.90%
(30/11/2022)
11 ETFs 50
The EURO STOXX® 50 index tracks the 50 largest companies in the eurozone.
Index factsheet
MSCI EMU Europe
Germany: 25.37%
(30/11/2022)
5 ETFs 216
(31/03/2025)
The MSCI EMU index tracks large and mid cap stocks from countries in the European Economic and Monetary Union.
Index factsheet
Solactive GBS Developed Markets Eurozone Large & Mid Cap Europe
Germany: 24.40%
(30/11/2022)
1 ETF 195
(28/06/2024)
The Solactive GBS Developed Markets Eurozone Large & Mid Cap index tracks large and mid cap securities from Eurozone countries.
Index factsheet
ETF
ISIN
  Fund size
in m GBP
TER
in %
Use of profits Fund domicile Replication method
iShares Core EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF EUR (Acc)IE00B53L3W79 4,504 0.10% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
Xtrackers EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF 1CLU0380865021 4,269 0.09% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Full replication
iShares Core MSCI EMU UCITS ETF EUR (Acc)IE00B53QG562 4,132 0.12% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
Xtrackers EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF 1DLU0274211217 4,117 0.09% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Full replication
iShares Core EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF EUR (Dist)IE0008471009 3,902 0.10% p.a. Distributing Ireland Full replication
Amundi EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF EUR (C)LU1681047236 2,300 0.09% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Full replication
Xtrackers MSCI EMU UCITS ETF 1DLU0846194776 1,362 0.12% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Full replication
UBS Core MSCI EMU UCITS ETF EUR disLU0147308422 1,200 0.12% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Full replication
HSBC EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF EURIE00B4K6B022 998 0.05% p.a. Distributing Ireland Full replication
Invesco EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETFIE00B60SWX25 808 0.05% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Unfunded swap
Amundi MSCI EMU UCITS ETF DistLU1646360971 505 0.12% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Full replication
UBS EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF EUR disLU0136234068 494 0.09% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Full replication
SPDR MSCI EMU UCITS ETFIE00B910VR50 224 0.18% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
HSBC EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF EUR (Acc)IE000MWUQBJ0 193 0.05% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
Invesco EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF DistIE00B5B5TG76 41 0.05% p.a. Distributing Ireland Unfunded swap
Amundi Prime Eurozone UCITS ETF DR (D)LU1931974429 37 0.05% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Full replication
Amundi EURO STOXX 50 UCITS ETF DR USD (C)LU1681047400 26 0.09% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Full replication
 
Index   1 month
in %
3 months
in %
6 months
in %
1 year
in %
3 years
in %
EURO STOXX® 50 4.00% 2.02% 15.49% 9.17% 52.78%
Solactive GBS Developed Markets Eurozone Large & Mid Cap 4.48% 4.09% 17.99% 10.25% 45.01%
MSCI EMU 4.49% 4.67% 16.94% 10.91% 44.60%
Index   2025
in %
2024
in %
2023
in %
2022
in %
2021
in %
EURO STOXX® 50 13.95% 6.42% 20.31% -4.16% 14.95%
Solactive GBS Developed Markets Eurozone Large & Mid Cap 15.85% 4.89% 17.65% -7.16% 17.38%
MSCI EMU 16.07% 4.92% 16.88% -7.48% 15.12%

Source: justETF.com; As of 31/05/2025; Calculations in GBP based on the largest ETF of the respective index.