AIOO vs DDEC: which one stands where?

As of Oct 1, 2026 DDEC can fall 12.9% before its buffer engages and AIOO 0.0%, and DDEC resets 13 days sooner. AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer100 ETF - Jan and FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - December.

0.0%
AIOO can fall this far before its buffer
12.9%
DDEC can fall this far before its buffer
uncapped
AIOO can still gain
2.8%
DDEC can still gain
AIOONo cap
No capAIOO: reference 0.0% since period start, fund 0.0%; buffer Floor; no cap; No cap.full floor beneathfull floor0% period startno cap, 29.83% participationTODAY · SPY 0.0%No capAIOO: reference 0.0% since period start, fund 0.0%; buffer Floor; no cap; No cap.full floor beneathfull floor0% startno capTODAY · SPY 0.0%

AIOO: reference 0.0% since period start, fund 0.0%; buffer Floor; no cap; No cap.

DDECAt its cap
At its capDDEC: reference +12.0% since period start, fund +8.1%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +12.0%; At its cap.25 pts of buffer+12%−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% period start+12.0% capTODAY · SPY +12.0%At its capDDEC: reference +12.0% since period start, fund +8.1%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +12.0%; At its cap.25 pts−30.0% floor−5.0% buffer start0% start+12.0% capTODAY · SPY +12.0%

DDEC: reference +12.0% since period start, fund +8.1%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +12.0%; At its cap.

These are two different products. AIOO is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. DDEC is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.

AIOO has no cap. It takes 30% of whatever the index does, where DDEC takes all of the rise up to 12.0% and nothing above it.

DDEC is already at its cap, so more rise in the index adds nothing to it before the period ends.

Where each one stands today

DDEC resets first, on Dec 18, 2026, 79 days from now; AIOO runs to Dec 31, 2026, 92 days. A fall from here reaches AIOO’s buffer after 0.0% and DDEC’s after 12.9%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Every figure is ETFIQ’s own, from the issuer’s published outcome-period terms. A buffer ETF holds FLEX options on its reference index rather than shares, so there is no holdings overlap between two of them to report.

Performance, window by window

Total returnGap to the reference
WindowAIOODDECAIOODDEC
3 months+0.4%+2.6%−2.1 pts+0.1 pts
6 months+2.9%+9.6%−14.1 pts−7.4 pts
1 year+3.6%+11.0%−12.1 pts−4.7 pts
3 yearsnot published+44.8%not published−40.2 pts

AIOO and DDEC over each window. Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation with distributions reinvested. Source: ETFIQ. Open the live comparison on ETFIQ →

On the same fields

AIOO
AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer100 ETF - Jan · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and does not cap the gain, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026
DDEC
FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - December · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 30.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 12.0%, over a period ending Dec 18, 2026
Issuer AllianzIM First Trust
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 100% 5% to 30%
Outcome period Oct 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026 Dec 22, 2025 to Dec 18, 2026
Days left 92 79
Starting cap uncapped +12.0%
Can still gain uncapped 2.8%
Fall before buffer 0.0% 12.9%
Protection left, index points 100.0% of 100.0% 25.0% of 25.0%
Index return this period 0.0% +12.0%
Fund return this period 0.0% +8.1%
State today Uncapped At cap
Expense ratio 0.64% 0.85%
Net assets $50m $428m

AIOO and DDEC on the same fields, as of Oct 1, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

AIOO in plain words

This fund has no cap. It takes a share of any further rise in SPY. Protection left, in index points: 100.0% of the 100.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 92 days remained on Oct 1, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

DDEC in plain words

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +12.0% for the period on Oct 1, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 2.8% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 12.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 15.2% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 25.0% of the 25.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 79 days remained on Oct 1, 2026. On Dec 18, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which resets first, AIOO or DDEC?
AIOO ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and DDEC on Dec 18, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, AIOO or DDEC?
AIOO charges 0.64% a year and DDEC charges 0.85%, so AIOO is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Cite this page

ETFIQ, AIOO against DDEC, data as of Oct 1, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/aioo-vs-ddec

Open data

Free to use with attribution. Every figure is calculated from a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology.