Which has more room to gain, DDSQ or XDEC?

From their prices on Oct 1, 2026, DDSQ can gain about 3.5% before its cap and XDEC about 1.7%, so DDSQ has more room left this period.

Which resets first, DDSQ or XDEC?

DDSQ ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and XDEC on Dec 18, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.

Which is cheaper, DDSQ or XDEC?

DDSQ charges 0.79% a year and XDEC charges 0.85%, so DDSQ is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Share on X Download as PDF Open live

DDSQ vs XDEC: which one stands where?

As of Oct 1, 2026 XDEC can fall 7.7% before its buffer engages and DDSQ 0.0%, and XDEC resets 13 days sooner. Innovator Equity Dual Directional 5 Buffer ETF - Quarterly and FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - December.

0.0%

DDSQ can fall this far before its buffer

7.7%

XDEC can fall this far before its buffer

3.5%

DDSQ can still gain

1.7%

XDEC can still gain

DDSQBetween buffer and cap

DDSQ: reference 0.0% since period start, fund 0.0%; buffer 0 to −5; cap +3.5%; Between buffer and cap.

XDECAt its cap

XDEC: reference +12.0% since period start, fund +7.4%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +10.1%; At its cap.

These are two different products. XDEC 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.

XDEC is already at its cap, so more rise in the index adds nothing to it before the period ends.

Where each one stands today

XDEC resets first, on Dec 18, 2026, 79 days from now; DDSQ runs to Dec 31, 2026, 92 days. DDSQ can still gain 3.5% before its cap, XDEC 1.7%. A fall from here reaches DDSQ’s buffer after 0.0% and XDEC’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

	Total return		Gap to the reference
Window	DDSQ	XDEC	DDSQ	XDEC
3 months	+2.0%	+2.4%	−0.5 pts	−0.2 pts
6 months	+7.0%	+8.2%	−9.9 pts	−8.8 pts
1 year	not published	+9.3%	not published	−6.5 pts
3 years	not published	+33.2%	not published	−51.8 pts

DDSQ and XDEC over each window. Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation with distributions reinvested. Source: ETFIQ. Open the live comparison on ETFIQ →

On the same fields

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

XDEC

FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - December · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 10.1%, over a period ending Dec 18, 2026

Issuer Innovator First Trust

Reference index SPY SPY

Buffer 5% 15%

Outcome period Sep 30, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026 Dec 22, 2025 to Dec 18, 2026

Days left 92 79

Starting cap +3.5% +10.1%

Can still gain 3.5% 1.7%

Fall before buffer 0.0% 7.7%

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

Index return this period 0.0% +12.0%

Fund return this period 0.0% +7.4%

State today Open At cap

Expense ratio 0.79% 0.85%

Net assets $92m $208m

DDSQ and XDEC on the same fields, as of Oct 1, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

DDSQ in plain words

From its price on Oct 1, 2026, the fund can gain about 3.5% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 5.0% of the 5.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 92 days remained on Oct 1, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

XDEC in plain words

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +10.1% for the period on Oct 1, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 1.7% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 7.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.7% 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. 79 days remained on Oct 1, 2026. On Dec 18, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DDSQ or XDEC?: From their prices on Oct 1, 2026, DDSQ can gain about 3.5% before its cap and XDEC about 1.7%, so DDSQ has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DDSQ or XDEC?: DDSQ ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and XDEC on Dec 18, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DDSQ or XDEC?: DDSQ charges 0.79% a year and XDEC charges 0.85%, so DDSQ is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

DDSQ vs BALT DDSQ vs CPSD DDSQ vs CPST DDSQ vs DDFO XDEC vs PJAN XDEC vs PQV XDEC vs PQX XDEC vs PQXV

SPY →DDSQ on its own →XDEC on its own →How every figure is computed →Standards and sources →

Where these figures came from

DDSQ filings on SEC EDGAR ↗Innovator page for DDSQ ↗XDEC filings on SEC EDGAR ↗First Trust page for XDEC ↗

ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this page

ETFIQ, DDSQ against XDEC, data as of Oct 1, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/ddsq-vs-xdec

Open data

Free to use with attribution. Every figure is calculated from a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology.