Data as of .
AJAN vs GDEC: which one stands where?
As of Sep 21, 2026 GDEC can fall 8.6% before its buffer engages and AJAN 3.2%, and GDEC resets 378 days sooner.
These are two different products. AJAN is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. GDEC is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.
They do not reset together. GDEC has 88 days of its period left and AJAN has 466, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.
Where each one stands today
GDEC resets first, on Dec 18, 2026, 88 days from now; AJAN runs to Dec 31, 2027, 466 days. AJAN can still gain 9.7% before its cap, GDEC 2.5%. A fall from here reaches AJAN’s buffer after 3.2% and GDEC’s after 8.6%. 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
| Window | Total return | Gap to the reference | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AJAN | GDEC | AJAN | GDEC | |
| 3 months | +0.7% | +2.3% | −1.6 pts | 0.0 pts |
| 6 months | +3.6% | +10.4% | −14.4 pts | −7.6 pts |
| 1 year | +4.0% | +11.4% | −12.6 pts | −5.2 pts |
| AJAN Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - Jan 2028 Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.3%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2027 | GDEC FT Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - December Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.1%, over a period ending Dec 18, 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Innovator | First Trust |
| Reference index | SPY | SPY |
| Buffer | 100% | 15% |
| Outcome period | Dec 31, 2025 to Dec 31, 2027 | Dec 22, 2025 to Dec 18, 2026 |
| Days left | 466 | 88 |
| Starting cap | +13.3% | +12.1% |
| Can still gain | 9.7% | 2.5% |
| Fall before buffer | 3.2% | 8.6% |
| Protection left, index points | 100.0% of 100.0% | 15.0% of 15.0% |
| Index return this period | +13.5% | +13.7% |
| Fund return this period | +2.7% | +8.5% |
| State today | At cap | At cap |
| Expense ratio | 0.79% | 0.85% |
| Net assets | $42m | $427m |
AJAN in plain words
SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +13.3% for the period on Sep 21, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 9.7% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 3.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.9% 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. 466 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Dec 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
GDEC in plain words
SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +12.1% for the period on Sep 21, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 2.5% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 8.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 12.0% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 15.0% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 88 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Dec 18, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
- Which has more room to gain, AJAN or GDEC?
- From their prices on Sep 21, 2026, AJAN can gain about 9.7% before its cap and GDEC about 2.5%, so AJAN has more room left this period.
- Which resets first, AJAN or GDEC?
- AJAN ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2027 and GDEC on Dec 18, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
- Which is cheaper, AJAN or GDEC?
- AJAN charges 0.79% a year and GDEC charges 0.85%, so AJAN is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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, AJAN against GDEC, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ajan-vs-gdec Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.