Which has more room to gain, DDSQ or QBSV?

From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDSQ can gain about 2.6% before its cap and QBSV about 4.2%, so QBSV has more room left this period.

Which resets first, DDSQ or QBSV?

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

Which is cheaper, DDSQ or QBSV?

DDSQ charges 0.79% a year and QBSV charges 0.64%, so QBSV is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Buffer ETFs

DDSQ vs QBSV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

Share on X Download as PDF

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

askIQ about this page

askIQ about DDSQ and QBSV

Net assets: $114m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator Equity Dual Directional 5 Buffer ETF - Quarterly, and $28m on Nov 3, 2026 for AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer5 ETF - Jan.

DDSQ on its own →QBSV on its own →

At a glance

0.9%

DDSQ can fall this far before its buffer

0.9%

QBSV can fall this far before its buffer

2.6%

DDSQ can still gain

4.2%

QBSV 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.

QBSV Between buffer and cap

QBSV: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer 0 to −5; cap +5.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

QBSV costs 0.15 points a year less; DDSQ is 4.0 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DDSQ vs QBSV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Measure	DDSQ	QBSV
Drawdown
Measure	DDSQ	QBSV
Index fall to the buffer	0.5%
Benchmark
Measure	DDSQ	QBSV
What it tracks	SPY	SPY
Cost and size
Measure	DDSQ	QBSV
Expense ratio	0.79%	0.64%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026	$113m	$28m
Holdings
Measure	DDSQ	QBSV
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DDSQ vs QBSV: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
	Total return		Gap to the reference's price return
Window	DDSQ	QBSV	DDSQ	QBSV
3 months	+1.0%	+0.5%	+1.4 pts	+0.9 pts
6 months	+4.0%	+3.9%	−0.5 pts	−0.6 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DDSQ Jan 2026 · QBSV Apr 2026	+12.9%	+8.6%	+0.7 pts	−8.5 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

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 QBSV AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer5 ETF - Jan · Absorbs the first 5% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 5.1%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026

Issuer Innovator AllianzIM

Reference index SPY SPY

Buffer 5% 5%

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

Days left 57 57

Starting cap +3.5% +5.1%

Can still gain 2.6% 4.2%

Fall before buffer 0.9% 0.9%

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

Index return this period +0.5% +0.5%

Fund return this period +0.8% +0.7%

State today Open Open

Expense ratio 0.79% 0.64%

Net assets, DDSQ as of Nov 4, 2026 and QBSV as of Nov 3, 2026 $114m $28m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. QBSV 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; QBSV runs to Dec 31, 2026, 57 days. DDSQ can still gain 2.6% before its cap, QBSV 4.2%. A fall from here reaches DDSQ’s buffer after 0.9% and QBSV’s after 0.9%. 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.

QBSV

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 4.2% more before it reaches its cap.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DDSQ or QBSV?: From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DDSQ can gain about 2.6% before its cap and QBSV about 4.2%, so QBSV has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DDSQ or QBSV?: DDSQ ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and QBSV on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DDSQ or QBSV?: DDSQ charges 0.79% a year and QBSV charges 0.64%, so QBSV is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

DDSQ vs ZALT DDSQ vs PJAN DDSQ vs TJAN DDSQ vs DECM QBSV vs TOCT QBSV vs POCT QBSV vs FSEP QBSV vs FLAO

Where to next

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

Sources and dates

DDSQ filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

Innovator page for DDSQ ↗

QBSV filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

AllianzIM page for QBSV ↗

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 QBSV, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddsq-vs-qbsv

Open data →

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