Data as of .
AOCT vs DSEP: which one stands where?
As of Sep 21, 2026 AOCT can fall 11.7% before its buffer engages and DSEP 6.6%, and AOCT resets 352 days sooner.
These are two different products. AOCT is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. DSEP 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. AOCT has 9 days of its period left and DSEP has 361, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.
Where each one stands today
AOCT resets first, on Sep 30, 2026, 9 days from now; DSEP runs to Sep 17, 2027, 361 days. AOCT can still gain 0.0% before its cap, DSEP 12.8%. A fall from here reaches AOCT’s buffer after 11.7% and DSEP’s after 6.6%. 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AOCT | DSEP | AOCT | DSEP | |
| 3 months | +1.2% | +3.1% | −1.0 pts | +0.8 pts |
| 6 months | +4.7% | +11.2% | −13.3 pts | −6.8 pts |
| 1 year | +5.5% | +10.8% | −11.1 pts | −5.7 pts |
| 3 years | not published | +40.5% | not published | −37.9 pts |
| AOCT Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - Oct 2026 Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.0%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2026 | DSEP FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - September Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 30.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 14.6%, over a period ending Sep 17, 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Innovator | First Trust |
| Reference index | SPY | SPY |
| Buffer | 100% | 5% to 30% |
| Outcome period | Sep 30, 2024 to Sep 30, 2026 | Sep 21, 2026 to Sep 17, 2027 |
| Days left | 9 | 361 |
| Starting cap | +13.0% | +14.6% |
| Can still gain | 0.0% | 12.8% |
| Fall before buffer | 11.7% | 6.6% |
| Protection left, index points | 100.0% of 100.0% | 25.0% of 25.0% |
| Index return this period | +34.9% | +1.6% |
| Fund return this period | +11.3% | +0.8% |
| State today | At cap | Open |
| Expense ratio | 0.79% | 0.85% |
| Net assets | $48m | $613m |
AOCT in plain words
SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +13.0% 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 0.0% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 11.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 25.9% 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. 9 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Sep 30, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
DSEP in plain words
From its price on Sep 21, 2026, the fund can gain about 12.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 6.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 6.5% 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. 361 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Sep 17, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
- Which has more room to gain, AOCT or DSEP?
- From their prices on Sep 21, 2026, AOCT can gain about 0.0% before its cap and DSEP about 12.8%, so DSEP has more room left this period.
- Which resets first, AOCT or DSEP?
- AOCT ends its outcome period on Sep 30, 2026 and DSEP on Sep 17, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
- Which is cheaper, AOCT or DSEP?
- AOCT charges 0.79% a year and DSEP charges 0.85%, so AOCT 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, AOCT against DSEP, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/aoct-vs-dsep Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.