Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

AIOO vs FSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 FSEP can fall 1.5% before its buffer engages and AIOO 0.3%, and AIOO resets 260 days sooner.

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Net assets on Nov 3, 2026: $67m for AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer100 Protection ETF - Jan and $1.4bn for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - September.

At a glance
0.3%
AIOO can fall this far before its buffer
1.5%
FSEP can fall this far before its buffer
uncapped
AIOO can still gain
15.1%
FSEP can still gain
AIOO No cap
No capAIOO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.3%; buffer Floor; no cap; No cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% period startno cap, 29.83% participation+0.5% gained, no capTODAY · SPY +0.5%No capAIOO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.3%; buffer Floor; no cap; No cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% startno cap+0.5% gained, no capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

AIOO: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.3%; buffer Floor; no cap; No cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.
FSEP Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capFSEP: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts+16% more to the cap−10.0% floor0% period start+16.7% cap+0.7% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.7%Between buffer and capFSEP: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.−10.0% floor0% start+16.7% cap10 pts of buffer+0.7% gain captured+16% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.7%

FSEP: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

FSEP: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +16.7%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

AIOO costs 0.21 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 9.9 points; FSEP is far larger, $1.4bn against $67m.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

AIOO vs FSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureAIOOFSEP
Return
Total return, 1 year+3.3%+13.2%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.5%0.7%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.64%0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$67m$1.4bn
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: AIOO vs FSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowAIOOFSEPAIOOFSEP
3 months+0.1%+2.2%+0.5 pts+2.6 pts
6 months+1.4%+6.1%−3.1 pts+1.6 pts
1 year+3.3%+13.2%−10.2 pts−0.4 pts
3 years–+52.7%–−23.7 pts
Since launchNot the same days: AIOO Jul 2025 · FSEP Sep 2020+5.9%+94.7%−18.3 pts−39.8 pts

Each fund's gap is to its reference's price return, dividends left out: the basis the outcome period uses. – means no data for this window. Open this comparison in the app →

Side by side

AIOO AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer100 Protection ETF - Jan · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and does not cap the gain, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026 FSEP FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - September · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 16.7%, over a period ending Sep 17, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 100% 10%
Outcome period Oct 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026 Sep 21, 2026 to Sep 17, 2027
Days left 57 317
Starting cap uncapped +16.7%
Can still gain uncapped 15.1%
Fall before buffer 0.3% 1.5%
Protection left, index points 100.0% of 100.0% 10.0% of 10.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +0.7%
Fund return this period +0.3% +0.7%
State today Uncapped Open
Expense ratio 0.64% 0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 $67m $1.4bn

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. AIOO is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. FSEP 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 FSEP takes all of the rise up to 16.7% and nothing above it.

They do not reset together. AIOO has 57 days of its period left and FSEP has 317, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

AIOO resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 57 days from now; FSEP runs to Sep 17, 2027, 317 days. A fall from here reaches AIOO’s buffer after 0.3% and FSEP’s after 1.5%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
AIOO

This fund has no cap. It takes a share of any further rise in SPY. The fund's price can fall 0.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.5% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 100.0% of the 100.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 57 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and new terms are set.

FSEP

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 15.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.5% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.7% 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 SPY level. 317 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Sep 17, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which resets first, AIOO or FSEP?
AIOO ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and FSEP on Sep 17, 2027. New terms are set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, AIOO or FSEP?
AIOO charges 0.64% a year and FSEP charges 0.85%, so AIOO is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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Sources and dates

Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.

How this is computed

ETFIQ calculates every number from each issuer’s published outcome-period terms. Buffer ETFs hold options on an index, not shares, so there is no holdings overlap to report.

Every number is an ETFIQ calculation with distributions reinvested.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, AIOO against FSEP, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/aioo-vs-fsep

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Free to use with attribution for data ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.