Data as of Sep 21, 2026.
DQSE vs QQQM: how they differ
DQSE and QQQM are measured over different days, and QQQM charges 0.15% to DQSE's 0.90%.
FT Vest Nasdaq-100 Dual Directional Buffer ETF - September and Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF.
| DQSE FT Vest Nasdaq-100 Dual Directional Buffer ETF - September | QQQM Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Buffer ETF | Core fund |
| Issuer | First Trust | Invesco |
| What it is | Defined outcome, 0% to 10% on QQQ | Tracks the Nasdaq-100 |
| Total return, 1 year | not published | +21.7% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | not published | +16.6% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | not available | +5.2 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.90% | 0.15% |
| Holdings | not filed | 107 |
| Net assets | $1m | $105.7bn |
DQSE in plain words
From its price on Sep 21, 2026, the fund can gain about 16.2% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 2.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, QQQ can fall 2.6% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 10.0% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's QQQ level. 361 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Sep 17, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
QQQM in plain words
QQQM tracks the Nasdaq-100. Over the year to Sep 18, 2026 it returned +21.7% with distributions reinvested, against +16.6% for the S&P 500 and +21.8% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.15% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Sep 19, 2026, 97% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 107 positions, with the top ten at 47.7%. It sat 3.3% below its high of Jun 2, 2026 on Sep 18, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which is cheaper, DQSE or QQQM?
- DQSE charges 0.90% a year and QQQM charges 0.15%, so QQQM is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- Are DQSE and QQQM the same kind of fund?
- No. DQSE is a buffer ETF and QQQM is an index ETF, so they are built for different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and what each actually holds.
Other comparisons
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, DQSE against QQQM, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/dqse-vs-qqqm Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources