China ETFs for UK ISA Investors: 10 Funds Compared (2026)

The largest China ETF available to UK investors by AUM at £2,807m. It tracks the MSCI China index via physical replication across 560 constituents. The GBP share class (ICHN) is available on the LSE alongside the USD class (ICGA) — using ICHN avoids currency conversion charges on some platforms. Ireland-domiciled; the Ireland-PRC tax treaty provides exemption from Chinese capital gains tax on A-share sales within the fund.

The main distributing option for UK investors wanting quarterly income from Chinese equities. Dividends are paid out rather than reinvested. It tracks the same MSCI China index as iShares ICGA. Both a USD share class (HMCD) and a GBP share class (HMCH) are available on the LSE — HMCH avoids FX conversion costs on some platforms. Ireland-domiciled.

Launched July 2022, HCHS is the accumulating version of HSBC’s MSCI China fund. It tracks the same index at the same 0.28% OCF as iShares ICGA, but the fund is considerably smaller at £105m versus £2,807m for the iShares equivalent. Ireland-domiciled. The smaller size may result in a wider bid-ask spread on the LSE.

Amundi’s MSCI China ETF uses synthetic (swap-based) replication rather than holding the underlying shares directly — a different structure to iShares and HSBC. It is domiciled in Luxembourg, not Ireland, and does not benefit from the Ireland-PRC capital gains tax exemption on A-shares. Within a Stocks and Shares ISA, UK investors pay no CGT regardless. Morningstar awarded this fund a Bronze Medalist rating as at March 2025. OCF is 0.29% — marginally higher than the iShares/HSBC equivalents at 0.28%.

At 0.19% p.a., Franklin FTSE China has the lowest OCF of any China ETF available on the LSE — 0.09 percentage points cheaper than the next lowest (iShares/HSBC at 0.28%). It tracks the FTSE China 30/18 Capped Index rather than the MSCI China Index, covering A shares, H shares and offshore listings across 997 constituents — a broader portfolio than the 560-stock MSCI China funds. The index caps the largest single holding at 30% and all others at 18%, limiting concentration risk. Ireland-domiciled with physical replication. Note that FTSE China and MSCI China use different methodologies, so performance will diverge over time.

The largest A-share ETF available to UK investors at £1,777m AUM. It tracks the MSCI China A Inclusion index — exclusively mainland China stocks on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, with no Hong Kong-listed companies. Physical replication; Ireland-domiciled, which means the CGT exemption on A-share sales applies. The OCF of 0.40% is higher than the broad MSCI China ETFs, reflecting the additional cost of accessing mainland markets via Stock Connect.

Xtrackers DBX9 tracks the same MSCI China A Inclusion index as iShares IASH but at a lower OCF of 0.35% versus 0.40%. The trade-off is a significantly smaller fund at ~£102m — the lower liquidity may result in wider bid-ask spreads on the LSE. It is Luxembourg-domiciled and does not benefit from the Ireland-PRC CGT exemption. Launched in June 2007, it is the longest-running A-share ETF in this comparison. Platform availability needs manual verification outside AJ Bell and ii.

CBUK is the only UCITS ETF tracking the MSCI China Technology sub-index. It applies ESG screening — companies failing ESG criteria are excluded. At ~£1,550m AUM it is unusually large for a thematic ETF, having attracted significant inflows through 2025 following the DeepSeek AI breakthrough in January 2025. Ireland-domiciled; physical replication. The 0.45% OCF carries a thematic premium over broad market funds.

Amundi’s tech option tracks a broader index than iShares CBUK — the MSCI China Tech IMI Stock Connect Filtered index covers internet companies alongside hardware. ESG-screened; Luxembourg-domiciled; physically replicated. At 0.55% it is the most expensive of the tech ETFs and the smallest at ~£163m. Note: the LSE listing for this fund requires manual verification before publication. If unavailable on the LSE, it should be removed from the main comparison table.

Launched in October 2004, FXC has the longest track record of any China ETF available to UK ISA investors. It tracks the FTSE China 50 index — exclusively the 50 largest H-share and Red Chip companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with no A-shares. The portfolio is the most concentrated in this comparison. At 0.74% OCF it is the most expensive option: as shown in the fee section above, the cost gap versus Franklin FLXC adds up to approximately £939 on a £10,000 investment over 10 years. The quarterly income distribution is relevant for investors managing dividend flows within an ISA.