Dimensional International Core Equity 2 ETF (DFIC) is an exchange-traded fund managed by Dimensional Fund Advisors LP that seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing in a broad and diverse portfolio of equity securities from non-U.S. companies in developed markets. The fund emphasizes companies of all market capitalizations, with increased exposure to smaller capitalization, lower relative price, and higher profitability firms; it employs an active, systematic investment process that screens securities based on factors such as price-to-book ratio, price momentum, and investment characteristics while benchmarking against the MSCI World ex USA IMI Index (net dividends). DFIC, part of the Dimensional ETF Trust, distributes qualified dividends quarterly and focuses on growth and value stocks across diversified sectors, including top holdings like Shell plc, Novartis AG, and TotalEnergies SE.
Launched on March 23, 2022, DFIC operates within Dimensional Fund Advisors' suite of equity strategies, which integrates academic research with advanced portfolio design, management, and trading. Dimensional Fund Advisors, founded in 1981 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, manages approximately $777 billion in assets as of December 31, 2024, with 15 global offices across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The firm, co-managed for DFIC by DFA Australia Limited and Dimensional Fund Advisors Ltd., targets institutional and individual investors seeking factor-based exposure to international developed markets.
In recent developments, Dimensional Fund Advisors received U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approval in November 2025 for a dual share class structure, enabling the firm to offer both ETF and mutual fund share classes within the same portfolios, including potential applications for 13 equity strategies encompassing over $190 billion in assets. This marks a significant structural shift, positioning Dimensional as the second firm after Vanguard to implement this model for actively managed products and enhancing tax efficiency and liquidity for investors. Additionally, in March 2025, Dimensional renewed its transfer agency agreement with SS&C Global Investor and Distribution Solutions for its U.K. open-ended investment company funds managing GBP 8.7 billion.