Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

BJAN vs FJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Oct 28, 2026 BJAN can fall 10.7% before its buffer engages and FJAN 9.3%, and BJAN resets 15 days sooner.

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Net assets: $349m on Oct 28, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Jan, and $1.5bn on Oct 27, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - January.

At a glance
10.7%
BJAN can fall this far before its buffer
9.3%
FJAN can fall this far before its buffer
4.1%
BJAN can still gain
4.0%
FJAN can still gain
BJAN Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capBJAN: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.2%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +16.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.9 pts of buffer+13.2% gain captured−9.0% floor0% period start+16.5% cap+3.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +13.2%Between buffer and capBJAN: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.2%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +16.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.9 pts+13.2% gained−9.0% floor0% start+16.5% cap+3.3% more to the capTODAY · SPY +13.2%

BJAN: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.2%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +16.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

BJAN: reference +13.2% since period start, fund +11.2%; buffer 0 to −9; cap +16.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.
FJAN Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capFJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +9.3%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.10 pts of buffer+11.7% gain captured−10.0% floor0% period start+14.5% cap+2.9% more to the capTODAY · SPY +11.7%Between buffer and capFJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +9.3%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.10 pts+11.7%−10.0% floor0% start+14.5% cap+2.9% more to the capTODAY · SPY +11.7%

FJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +9.3%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

FJAN: reference +11.7% since period start, fund +9.3%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +14.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Oct 28, 2026.

Pair scorecard

BJAN costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.3 points; FJAN is 4.3 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

BJAN vs FJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBJANFJAN
Return
Total return, 1 year+13.7%+12.4%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer11.6%10.4%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.85%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026$348m$1.5bn
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · FJAN scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score20.4BJAN37FJAN

How much of a bear-market fall the buffer would absorb from today's level, ranked against 292 buffer ETFs on stocks with a live outcome period. 100 is best. How it is computed

0.2, the lowest in this set 99.8, the highest

A percentile among the 292 buffer ETFs on stocks with a live outcome period. Today's position against one 20% fall; it ignores smaller falls, and stock buffers are never ranked against bond or commodity ones. All buffer ETFs ranked by it →

Method

Risk and return

Jan 29, 2021 to Oct 23, 2026 · 299 weekly returns · each against SPY
BJAN FJAN
Return
Total return edge FJAN (slight) +86.7% +90.2%
Annualized edge FJAN (slight) +11.5% +11.8%
Price return edge FJAN (slight) +86.7% +90.2%
Risk
Volatility edge FJAN 10.9% 9.5%
Max drawdown edge FJAN −16.9% −12.7%
Downside capture 71.4% 60.2%
Beta 0.67 0.58
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge FJAN 0.74 0.87
Sortino edge FJAN 1.11 1.32
Treynor 0.119 0.143
Calmar edge FJAN 0.68 0.93
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.2% a year +1.5% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.15 1.21
Information ratio −0.62 −0.47
Tracking error 5.8% 7.3%
Reading

FJAN returned slightly more: +90.2% to +86.7%. FJAN swung less: 9.5% to 10.9%. FJAN fell less at its worst: −12.7% to −16.9%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
Open ↓
Risk and return: BJAN vs FJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureBJANFJANSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+86.7%+90.2%FJAN (slight)Price change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+11.5%+11.8%FJAN (slight)Total return as a yearly rate.
Price return+86.7%+90.2%FJAN (slight)Price change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility10.9%9.5%FJANSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation7.2%6.2%FJANLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−16.9%−12.7%FJANDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture56.2%47.4%100.0%BJANShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture71.4%60.2%100.0%FJANShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.670.581.00FJAN lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.930.901.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.740.87FJANReturn above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino1.111.32FJANReturn above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.1190.1430.117FJANReturn above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.680.93FJANAnnualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.2% a year+1.5% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.151.21Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.2% to +2.5%−0.9% to +3.9%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.62−0.47FJANReturn against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error5.8%7.3%0.0%Not an edgeHow far weekly returns stray from the benchmark, annualized.

Computed by ETFIQ from Tiingo daily prices and ETFIQ's distribution records, 299 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: BJAN vs FJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowBJANFJANBJANFJAN
3 months+4.9%+4.4%−1.0 pts−1.5 pts
6 months+7.4%+6.9%−1.1 pts−1.7 pts
1 year+13.7%+12.4%+1.3 pts0.0 pts
3 years+72.8%+61.7%−15.3 pts−26.3 pts
Since launchNot the same days: BJAN Jan 2019 · FJAN Jan 2021+153.7%+88.5%−55.0 pts−15.4 pts

Each fund's gap is to its reference's price return, dividends left out: the basis the outcome period uses. Open this comparison in the app →

Side by side

BJAN Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - Jan · Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 16.5%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026 FJAN FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - January · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 14.5%, over a period ending Jan 15, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 9% 10%
Outcome period Dec 31, 2025 to Dec 31, 2026 Jan 20, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027
Days left 64 79
Starting cap +16.5% +14.5%
Can still gain 4.1% 4.0%
Fall before buffer 10.7% 9.3%
Protection left, index points 9.0% of 9.0% 10.0% of 10.0%
Index return this period +13.2% +11.7%
Fund return this period +11.2% +9.3%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.85%
Net assets, BJAN as of Oct 28, 2026 and FJAN as of Oct 27, 2026 $349m $1.5bn

As of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

BJAN resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 64 days from now; FJAN runs to Jan 15, 2027, 79 days. BJAN can still gain 4.1% before its cap, FJAN 4.0%. A fall from here reaches BJAN’s buffer after 10.7% and FJAN’s after 9.3%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief · page 1 of 2 Report BR-555A375578

BJAN and FJAN are built for the same job. How do they differ in cost, holdings and results?

  1. Protection and cap. BJAN: Absorbs the first 9% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 16.5%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026. FJAN: Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 14.5%, over a period ending Jan 15, 2027. The starting caps are 2.0 points apart.
  2. Size. BJAN has $348m in net assets and FJAN $1.5bn (net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026); FJAN is 4.3 times larger.
  3. Outcome period (similar). BJAN runs Dec 31, 2025 to Dec 31, 2026 with 64 days left; FJAN runs Jan 20, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027 with 79 days left.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

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About each fund
BJAN

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 4.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 10.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.6% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 9.0% of the 9.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 64 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

FJAN

From its price on Oct 28, 2026, the fund can gain about 4.0% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 9.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.4% 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. 79 days remained on Oct 28, 2026. On Jan 15, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, BJAN or FJAN?
From their prices on Oct 28, 2026, BJAN can gain about 4.1% before its cap and FJAN about 4.0%, so BJAN has more room left this period.
Which resets first, BJAN or FJAN?
BJAN ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and FJAN on Jan 15, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, BJAN or FJAN?
BJAN charges 0.79% a year and FJAN charges 0.85%, so BJAN is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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Sources and dates

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

How this is computed

It is a place in a set, not a rating or a recommendation.

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.

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ETFIQ, BJAN against FJAN, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/bjan-vs-fjan

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