Q: How do these two ETF’s compare with respect to withholding taxes if held in a non-registered account
5i Research Answer:
ZEA holds the majority of its securites directly (only 8% is held via another fund) so withholding taxes will be based on the domicile of the companies held in the ETF and passed on to investors. However, with the US listing, Level II taxation also applies. VEA holds its shares directly as well, but as it is a Canadian fund will have slightly less withholding taxes. This article has a good illustration of the differences.