Asia Pacific NZX-listed · PIE-taxed
Smartshares APA Smart Asia Pacific ETF
Asia-Pacific (ex-Japan) developed-markets equity. Issued by Smartshares, listed on the NZX, total expense ratio 0.55%, PIE-taxed (max 28%, no FIF).
Last reviewed 2026-05-02 sources find similar ETFs →
About this fund
What does APA actually hold?
Asia-Pacific (ex-Japan) developed-markets equity. As a asia pacific ETF, it gives a single-trade route into that asset class for NZ investors who'd rather not pick individual securities.
Smartshares is the ETF arm of NZX. It runs the largest NZX-listed ETF range, all PIE-taxed, all denominated in NZD. Most are passive trackers of established indices (S&P/NZX, S&P/ASX, MSCI). For a holdings-level breakdown, see the official Smartshares fact sheet[1].
Next typical distribution: December.APA typically pays in Jun · Dec. Most recent verified distribution: NZ$0.0188 per unit, ex-date 2026-05-28. Issuer sets the exact date — verify on the distribution calendar before relying on a payment date.
Platform availability
Where to buy APA from New Zealand
Based on each platform's advertised market coverage and fee schedule. Verify with the platform before transacting — instrument coverage can change.
| Platform | Per-trade fee | FX | Min | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Sharesies Sharesies | 1.9% per trade | 0.5% | NZ$0 | Beginners, fractional shares, mixing NZ + US ETFs |
 Interactive Brokers Interactive Brokers | From US$0.35 / trade (Tiered) or US$1 flat (Fixed) | ~0.002% (US$2 min) | US$0 | Larger portfolios, frequent traders, multi-market investors |
 Tiger Brokers Tiger Brokers | US$1.99 per US trade | 0.50% | NZ$0 | NZ investors who want NZ + US + Asian markets in one account |
 InvestNow InvestNow | NZ$0 platform fee on most funds | N/A (NZD-denominated funds) | NZ$50 (regular) / NZ$250 (lump) | NZ$0 brokerage on Smartshares funds. |
 BNZ Direct Broking BNZ Direct Broking | NZ$30 per NZX trade | ~0.50% (NZD↔AUD) | NZ$0 | Holders who want CHESS-sponsored Australian shares |
 Jarden Direct Jarden Direct | NZ$29.90 per NZX trade | ~0.40% | NZ$0 | Larger NZX trades and global market access through one NZ broker |
 ASB Securities ASB Securities | NZ$30 per NZX trade | Bank rates (~1%) | NZ$0 (ASB customer) | Existing ASB customers wanting one login for banking + brokerage |
 Smartshares (direct) Smartshares (direct) | NZX broker fees apply | N/A | Broker-dependent | Investors who only want Smartshares ETFs and want PIE tax simplicity |
Showing 8 platforms that list this ETF. Full platform comparison: all 11 NZ brokers → · Full coverage matrix: availability matrix →
NZ tax treatment
How is APA taxed for NZ investors?
APA is a NZ Portfolio Investment Entity. Tax is calculated by Smartshares at your Prescribed Investor Rate (capped). FIF rules do not apply — irrespective of holding size.
The Prescribed Investor Rate is capped at 28% (source) . That is the structural advantage of NZ PIE wrappers over direct foreign-listed ETFs once your overseas-share cost basis crosses NZ$50,000 (source) .
💰 What the PIE cap is worth to you
At the capped PIR of 28% (source) , an investor on the 39% (source) top marginal rate keeps about NZ$110 more per NZ$1,000 of taxable distributions than the same income taxed at their marginal rate — about NZ$50 more for an investor on the 33% (source) rate. Illustrative: assumes the full distribution is taxable and your PIR sits at the cap. A lower PIR widens the gap.
Read more on PIE funds → · PIE vs FIF comparison →
🧮 Model your own after-tax outcome
Mechanical NZ-tax calculator comparing PIE @ PIR vs FIF @ FDR vs FIF @ CV on your principal, assumed return, time horizon, PIR, and marginal rate. → Open the after-tax calculator
General information only — not personalised tax advice. Confirm your treatment with a registered NZ tax adviser before transacting.
Add up to 4 more tickers to compare TER · yield · distribution · NZ tax structure.
Similar ETFs
ETFs with similar focus to APA
Same asset class, issuer cousins, and exchange peers — ranked by closest match. Click any row to compare side-by-side in the multi-compare tool.
| Ticker | Name | TER | Yield | Distribution | NZ tax | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIV | NZ Dividend (DIV) Smartshares · NZX | 0.54% | 5.2% | Semi-annual | PIE | APA vs DIV |
| FNZ | NZ Top 50 (FNZ) Smartshares · NZX | 0.50% | 3.3% | Semi-annual | PIE | APA vs FNZ |
| TNZ | NZ Top 10 (TNZ) Smartshares · NZX | 0.60% | 2.0% | Semi-annual | PIE | APA vs TNZ |
| MZY | AU Mid Cap (MZY) Smartshares · NZX | 0.75% | 1.6% | Semi-annual | PIE | APA vs MZY |
| NPF | NZ Property (NPF) Smartshares · NZX | 0.54% | 5.7% | Semi-annual | PIE | APA vs NPF |
Distribution history
Recent distributions — APA
| Ex-date | Pay date | Per unit (NZD) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-28 | 2026-06-19 | NZ$0.0188 |
| 2025-11-27 | 2025-12-19 | NZ$0.0187 |
| 2025-05-29 | 2025-06-19 | NZ$0.0204 |
| 2024-11-28 | 2024-12-20 | NZ$0.0206 |
| 2024-05-30 | 2024-06-20 | NZ$0.0173 |
| 2023-11-29 | 2023-12-20 | NZ$0.0197 |
Source: Smartshares distribution records, verified 2026-07-05. Amounts are cash distributions per unit before tax (PIE tax applies at your PIR) — verify against the issuer source before relying on a payment. APA typically distributes jun · dec; next typical month: December.
See /calendar/distributions/ for the rolling 12-month forward calendar across all covered ETFs.
Sources
- [1]Smart Asia Pacific ETF fact sheet — Smartshares (2026)
- [2]Portfolio investment entity (PIE) — overview — Inland Revenue (NZ) (2026)
Where to buy APA from New Zealand
The platforms below all support APA. Each link opens the platform's site directly — we don't take any payment for placement or for clicks.
InvestNow 
Sharesies 
Interactive Brokers Fees + platform details verified against each provider's published rate card. Always check the current schedule before transacting. Full platform comparison →
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Sources for this APA data
Every TER, yield, and holdings figure on this page traces to one of the documents below. We do not pull live prices; the data is reviewed monthly against issuer fact sheets and exchange listings (last reviewed 2026-05-02).
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FAQ
Common questions about APA
What is APA? ⌄
APA is the NZX ticker for the Smart Asia Pacific ETF, issued by Smartshares. Asia-Pacific (ex-Japan) developed-markets equity. Total expense ratio is 0.55% per year.
Is APA PIE-taxed? ⌄
Yes. APA is a NZ Portfolio Investment Entity (PIE) fund, so it is taxed at your Prescribed Investor Rate (capped at 28%). FIF rules do not apply, and tax is calculated and paid by the fund — you don't need to file foreign-investment income.
What does APA cost to hold? ⌄
APA charges a total expense ratio of 0.55% per year, deducted automatically from the fund's net asset value. On every NZ$10,000 invested that's about NZ$55 per year. Platform fees on top depend on where you buy it.
Where can I buy APA from New Zealand? ⌄
APA is listed on the NZX, so any NZ broker that supports NZX trading can offer it — including Sharesies, Interactive Brokers, Tiger Brokers, InvestNow, BNZ Direct Broking, Jarden Direct, ASB Securities and Smartshares (direct). Compare fees and minimums before picking one.
