Which has more room to gain, DDSQ or PQXV?

From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDSQ can gain about 2.6% before its cap and PQXV about 2.1%, so DDSQ has more room left this period.

Which resets first, DDSQ or PQXV?

DDSQ ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and PQXV on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.

Which is cheaper, DDSQ or PQXV?

DDSQ charges 0.79% a year and PQXV charges 0.50%, so PQXV is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Buffer ETFs

DDSQ vs PQXV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

Share on X Download as PDF

As of Nov 4, 2026 DDSQ can fall 0.9% before its buffer engages and PQXV 0.7%.

askIQ about this page

askIQ about DDSQ and PQXV

Net assets on Nov 4, 2026: $114m for Innovator Equity Dual Directional 5 Buffer ETF - Quarterly and $3.8m for PGIM S&P 500 Quarterly Buffer 15 ETF.

DDSQ on its own →PQXV on its own →

At a glance

0.9%

DDSQ can fall this far before its buffer

0.7%

PQXV can fall this far before its buffer

2.6%

DDSQ can still gain

2.1%

PQXV can still gain

DDSQ Between buffer and cap

DDSQ: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −5; cap +3.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

PQXV Between buffer and cap

PQXV: reference +0.6% since period start, fund +0.6%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +2.8%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PQXV costs 0.29 points a year less; DDSQ is far larger, $114m against $3.8m.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DDSQ vs PQXV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Measure	DDSQ	PQXV
Drawdown
Measure	DDSQ	PQXV
Index fall to the buffer	0.5%
Benchmark
Measure	DDSQ	PQXV
What it tracks	SPY	SPY
Cost and size
Measure	DDSQ	PQXV
Expense ratio	0.79%	0.50%
Net assets	$114m	$3.8m
Holdings
Measure	DDSQ	PQXV
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DDSQ vs PQXV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
	Total return		Gap to the reference's price return
Window	DDSQ	PQXV	DDSQ	PQXV
3 months	+1.0%	+1.2%	+1.4 pts	+1.6 pts
6 months	+4.0%	–	−0.5 pts	–
Since launchNot the same days: DDSQ Jan 2026 · PQXV Jul 2026	+12.9%	+2.5%	+0.7 pts	−0.3 pts

Each fund's gap is to its reference's price return, dividends left out: the basis the outcome period uses. – means no data for this window. Open this comparison in the app →

Side by side

DDSQ Innovator Equity Dual Directional 5 Buffer ETF - Quarterly · Absorbs the first 5% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 3.5%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026 PQXV PGIM S&P 500 Quarterly Buffer 15 ETF · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 2.8%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026

Issuer Innovator PGIM

Reference index SPY SPY

Buffer 5% 15%

Outcome period Sep 30, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026 Oct 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026

Days left 57 57

Starting cap +3.5% +2.8%

Can still gain 2.6% 2.1%

Fall before buffer 0.9% 0.7%

Protection left, index points 5.0% of 5.0% 15.0% of 15.0%

Index return this period +0.5% +0.6%

Fund return this period +0.8% +0.6%

State today Open Open

Expense ratio 0.79% 0.50%

Net assets $114m $3.8m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. PQXV is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. DDSQ 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

DDSQ resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 57 days from now; PQXV runs to Dec 31, 2026, 57 days. DDSQ can still gain 2.6% before its cap, PQXV 2.1%. A fall from here reaches DDSQ’s buffer after 0.9% and PQXV’s after 0.7%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Alert

About each fund

DDSQ

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 2.6% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.5% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 5.0% of the 5.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 57 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

PQXV

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 2.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. Protection left, in index points: 15.0% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DDSQ or PQXV?: From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDSQ can gain about 2.6% before its cap and PQXV about 2.1%, so DDSQ has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DDSQ or PQXV?: DDSQ ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and PQXV on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DDSQ or PQXV?: DDSQ charges 0.79% a year and PQXV charges 0.50%, so PQXV is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

DDSQ vs PBOC DDSQ vs AIOO DDSQ vs PBJA DDSQ vs QBSF PQXV vs SIXO PQXV vs OCTT PQXV vs OCTP PQXV vs SEPM

Where to next

SPY →All buffer ETFs ranked by the Downside Cover Score →How the scores are computed →DDSQ on its own →PQXV on its own →Method →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

DDSQ filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

Innovator page for DDSQ ↗

PQXV filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

PGIM website ↗

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

How this is computed

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.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, DDSQ against PQXV, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddsq-vs-pqxv

Open data →

Free to use with attribution for data ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.