For investors looking for growth stocks, emerging-market companies provide a unique opportunity. These regions tend to have lower labor costs, are home to younger populations and expanding middle classes, and see faster GDP growth than most developed nations as a result.
[Sign up for stock news with our Invested newsletter.]
That combination creates powerful long-term demand that makes the best emerging-market stocks some of the hottest opportunities out there. The icing on the cake is that after a big run for domestic stocks in the last year or two, many emerging-market names trade at rock-bottom valuations right now compared to high-flying stocks in the U.S.
Volatility can indeed be more pronounced in emerging-market stocks, particularly in an age of trade disruptions and geopolitical worries. But for investors willing to risk some uncertainty in 2026, selectively buying these high-quality international leaders may pay off:
| Stock | Headquarters | Market cap |
| Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (ticker: BABA) | Hong Kong | $400 billion |
| ASE Technology Holding Co. Ltd. (ASX) | Taiwan | $42 billion |
| Bilibili Inc. (BILI) | China | $14 billion |
| Cemex S.A.B. de C.V. (CX) | Mexico | $18 billion |
| Embraer S.A. (EMBJ) | Brazil | $13 billion |
| Gold Fields Ltd. (GFI) | South Africa | $45 billion |
| Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (SQM) | Chile | $22 billion |
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (BABA)
Market value: $400 billion Headquarters: Hong Kong
Often called the “Amazon of Asia,” Alibaba is a dominant force in e-commerce, cloud computing and digital infrastructure. After a sell-off a few years ago driven by regulatory fears, the stock has staged a powerful comeback and is up about 70% in the last 12 months to outperform many domestic tech stocks. Alibaba benefits from massive scale, first-mover advantage and a business model deeply embedded in China’s economy.
ASE Technology Holding Co. Ltd. (ASX)
Market value: $42 billion Headquarters: Taiwan
Another Asia tech leader, ASE is a humble tech stock that focuses on packaging, testing and manufacturing semiconductors. Though the work isn’t particularly glamorous, it is critical for a chip industry that is seeing incredible global growth right now. In fact, many high-profile chip designers don’t have production facilities and instead rely on ASE to turn their patented product schemes into real-world semiconductors. Margins may be thinner at ASE, but the firm is plotting double-digit growth in 2026 as it continues to support a robust global semiconductor supply chain.
Bilibili Inc. (BILI)
Market value: $14 billion Headquarters: China
Located in mainland China, Bilibili has roughly doubled in the last 12 months thanks to a fast-growing digital entertainment platform catering to younger Chinese consumers offering video content, mobile games and social media. Monetization is built around microtransactions and advertising, where the massive local audience potential is creating tremendous opportunity.
Though one of the smallest stocks on the list, Bilibili recently moved into profitability and continues to plot double-digit revenue growth thanks to close ties with local government and other business. For aggressive investors looking for an up-and-coming growth stock, BILI offers elevated risk alongside the potential for very high reward.
Cemex S.A.B. de C.V. (CX)
Market value: $18 billion Headquarters: Mexico
Cemex is a construction-materials powerhouse that supplies cement, concrete and aggregates across Latin America. This business is foundational — literally — to growth in the region, and is tied to everything from infrastructure spending to urbanization to general housing and business demand.
While relations between the U.S. and Mexico have been strained, it’s important to acknowledge that the nation’s economy is closely tied to many of its neighbors that are thriving. As a result, the Mexican IPC index has handily outperformed the S&P 500 in the last 12 months — so it’s no surprise that this construction leader has also done well, more than doubling in the last year.
[Read: 10 Best Growth Stocks to Buy for 2026]
Embraer S.A. (EMBJ)
Market value: $13 billion Headquarters: Brazil
Another Latin America leader, Brazil-based Embraer is one of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers. It specializes in regional jets, executive planes and defense aircraft. As airlines modernize fleets and regional travel rebounds, Embraer has benefited from rising orders, reflected in the more than 20% revenue growth expected in fiscal 2025 and nearly 13% growth predicted in fiscal 2026.
Unlike its larger peers, Embraer focuses on a niche where it competes extremely well. That specialization, combined with strong relationships with other fast-growing regional businesses, makes EMBJ one of the best emerging-market stocks to buy now.
Gold Fields Ltd. (GFI)
Market value: $45 billion Headquarters: South Africa
In case you missed it, gold had a record-breaking year in 2025 — and as a result, many gold miners, including Gold Fields, have been on a tear. But this major gold producer is also a strong bet going forward as it redeploys these windfall profits into future operations. With a business that spans Africa, Australia and the Americas, this emerging-market stock inked a nearly $4 billion deal to acquire Gold Road Resources last year, among other deals. That will help ensure scale to keep operational momentum regardless of commodity markets. Besides, with more than 180% gains in the last year and a strong near-term outlook for gold, you could do worse than to double down on precious metals markets in 2026.
Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (SQM)
Market value: $22 billion Headquarters: Chile
Speaking of commodity markets, SQM is a materials stock of a very different flavor. It sits at the heart of the lithium industry, with this critical battery metal accounting for the majority of the company’s revenue. While the electric-vehicle boom seems to be falling short of previous hype, growth is still pronounced — and lithium remains the go-to source to power smartphones, power tools and a host of other goods.
Shares are up more than 90% in the last year thanks to both global inflationary pressures as well as strong demand, making this hard-to-pronounce leader one of the best emerging-market stocks for 2026.
[READ: 7 Best Silver ETFs to Buy]
More from U.S. News
5 Best Gold ETFs to Buy for 2026
5 Best Nuclear Energy Stocks and ETFs to Buy
10 of the Best Stocks to Buy for 2026
7 of the Best Emerging-Market Stocks to Buy Right Now originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 02/02/26: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
