Data as of .
DDFN vs NVBU: which one stands where?
As of Sep 19, 2026 DDFN can fall 8.1% before its buffer engages and NVBU 7.7%, and NVBU resets 1 days sooner.
These are two different products. NVBU is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. DDFN 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
NVBU resets first, on Oct 31, 2026, 42 days from now; DDFN runs to Oct 31, 2026, 43 days. A fall from here reaches DDFN’s buffer after 8.1% and NVBU’s after 7.7%. 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DDFN | NVBU | DDFN | NVBU | |
| 3 months | +1.9% | +0.7% | −0.3 pts | −1.6 pts |
| 6 months | +8.0% | +10.6% | −10.1 pts | −7.4 pts |
| 1 year | not published | +10.6% | not published | −6.0 pts |
| DDFN Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF - Nov Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 10.0%, over a period ending Oct 31, 2026 | NVBU AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer15 Uncapped ETF - Nov Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and does not cap the gain, over a period ending Oct 31, 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Innovator | AllianzIM |
| Reference index | SPY | SPY |
| Buffer | 15% | 15% |
| Outcome period | Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2025 to Oct 31, 2026 |
| Days left | 43 | 42 |
| Starting cap | +10.0% | uncapped |
| Can still gain | 1.1% | uncapped |
| Fall before buffer | 8.1% | 7.7% |
| Protection left, index points | 15.0% of 15.0% | 15.0% of 15.0% |
| Index return this period | +11.7% | +11.7% |
| Fund return this period | +8.0% | +7.5% |
| State today | At cap | Uncapped |
| Expense ratio | 0.79% | 0.74% |
| Net assets | $63m | $34m |
DDFN in plain words
SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +10.0% for the period on Sep 19, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 1.1% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 8.1% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.5% 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. 43 days remained on Sep 19, 2026. On Oct 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
NVBU in plain words
This fund has no cap. It takes a share of any further rise in SPY. The fund's price can fall 7.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. 42 days remained on Sep 19, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which resets first, DDFN or NVBU?
- DDFN ends its outcome period on Oct 31, 2026 and NVBU on Oct 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
- Which is cheaper, DDFN or NVBU?
- DDFN charges 0.79% a year and NVBU charges 0.74%, so NVBU 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, DDFN against NVBU, data as of Sep 19, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddfn-vs-nvbu Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.