Data as of .
DDFM vs MARU: which one stands where?
As of Sep 21, 2026 MARU can fall 9.3% before its buffer engages and DDFM 5.9%, and MARU resets 1 days sooner.
These are two different products. MARU is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. DDFM is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.
Where each one stands today
MARU resets first, on Feb 28, 2027, 159 days from now; DDFM runs to Feb 28, 2027, 160 days. A fall from here reaches DDFM’s buffer after 5.9% and MARU’s after 9.3%. 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DDFM | MARU | DDFM | MARU | |
| 3 months | +1.8% | +0.8% | −0.4 pts | −1.4 pts |
| 6 months | +7.3% | +11.8% | −10.7 pts | −6.2 pts |
| 1 year | not published | +10.3% | not published | −6.3 pts |
| DDFM Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF - Mar Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 9.8%, over a period ending Feb 28, 2027 | MARU AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer15 Uncapped ETF - Mar Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and does not cap the gain, over a period ending Feb 28, 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Innovator | AllianzIM |
| Reference index | SPY | SPY |
| Buffer | 15% | 15% |
| Outcome period | Feb 28, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027 | Mar 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027 |
| Days left | 160 | 159 |
| Starting cap | +9.8% | uncapped |
| Can still gain | 3.3% | uncapped |
| Fall before buffer | 5.9% | 9.3% |
| Protection left, index points | 15.0% of 15.0% | 15.0% of 15.0% |
| Index return this period | +12.8% | +12.8% |
| Fund return this period | +5.8% | +9.3% |
| State today | At cap | Uncapped |
| Expense ratio | 0.79% | 0.74% |
| Net assets | $45m | $35m |
DDFM in plain words
SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +9.8% 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 3.3% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 5.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.4% 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. 160 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Feb 28, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
MARU in plain words
This fund has no cap. It takes a share of any further rise in SPY. The fund's price can fall 9.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. 159 days remained on Sep 21, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which resets first, DDFM or MARU?
- DDFM ends its outcome period on Feb 28, 2027 and MARU on Feb 28, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
- Which is cheaper, DDFM or MARU?
- DDFM charges 0.79% a year and MARU charges 0.74%, so MARU 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, DDFM against MARU, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddfm-vs-maru Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.