Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

DECM vs PJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 PJAN can fall 8.9% before its buffer engages and DECM 5.8%, and DECM resets 13 days sooner.

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Net assets: $35m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - December, and $1.4bn on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Jan.

At a glance
5.8%
DECM can fall this far before its buffer
8.9%
PJAN can fall this far before its buffer
0.8%
DECM can still gain
2.4%
PJAN can still gain
DECM At its cap
At its capDECM: reference +12.7% since period start, fund +5.3%; buffer 0 to −51; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.50.6 pts of buffer+7%−50.6% floor0% period start+7.0% capTODAY · SPY +12.7%At its capDECM: reference +12.7% since period start, fund +5.3%; buffer 0 to −51; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.50.6 pts of buffer−50.6% floor0% start+7.0% cap+7% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +12.7%

DECM: reference +12.7% since period start, fund +5.3%; buffer 0 to −51; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

DECM: reference +12.7% since period start, fund +5.3%; buffer 0 to −51; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
PJAN At its cap
At its capPJAN: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +9.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.3%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer+12.3% gained−15.0% floor0% period start+12.3% capTODAY · SPY +12.4%At its capPJAN: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +9.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.3%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+12.3% cap+12.3% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +12.4%

PJAN: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +9.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.3%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

PJAN: reference +12.4% since period start, fund +9.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +12.3%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PJAN costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 4.8 points; PJAN is far larger, $1.4bn against $35m.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DECM vs PJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureDECMPJAN
Return
Total return, 1 year+6.4%+11.2%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer11.2%11.0%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.79%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$35m$1.4bn
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · DECM scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score71.4DECM50PJAN

How much of a bear-market fall the buffer would absorb from today's level, ranked against 292 buffer ETFs on stocks with a live outcome period. 100 is best. How it is computed

0.3, the lowest in this set 99.7, the highest

Today's position against one 20% fall; it ignores smaller falls, and stock buffers are never ranked against bond or commodity ones. All buffer ETFs ranked by it →

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DECM vs PJAN: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowDECMPJANDECMPJAN
3 months+1.3%+1.7%+1.7 pts+2.1 pts
6 months+3.0%+4.8%−1.5 pts+0.3 pts
1 year+6.4%+11.2%−7.2 pts−2.4 pts
3 years–+44.9%–−31.5 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DECM Dec 2024 · PJAN Jan 2019+11.9%+102.5%−17.0 pts−104.0 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

DECM FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - December · Absorbs the first 51% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 7.0%, over a period ending Dec 18, 2026 PJAN Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Jan · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 12.3%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 51% 15%
Outcome period Dec 22, 2025 to Dec 18, 2026 Dec 31, 2025 to Dec 31, 2026
Days left 44 57
Starting cap +7.0% +12.3%
Can still gain 0.8% 2.4%
Fall before buffer 5.8% 8.9%
Protection left, index points 50.6% of 50.6% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +12.7% +12.4%
Fund return this period +5.3% +9.0%
State today At cap At cap
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.79%
Net assets, DECM as of Nov 3, 2026 and PJAN as of Nov 4, 2026 $35m $1.4bn

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Both are already at their cap, so neither gains from more rise in the index before the period ends.

Where each one stands today

DECM resets first, on Dec 18, 2026, 44 days from now; PJAN runs to Dec 31, 2026, 57 days. DECM can still gain 0.8% before its cap, PJAN 2.4%. A fall from here reaches DECM’s buffer after 5.8% and PJAN’s after 8.9%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
DECM

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +7.0% for the period on Nov 4, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 0.8% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 5.8% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.2% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 50.6% of the 50.6% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 44 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Dec 18, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

PJAN

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +12.3% for the period on Nov 4, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 2.4% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 8.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.0% 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. 57 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DECM or PJAN?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DECM can gain about 0.8% before its cap and PJAN about 2.4%, so PJAN has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DECM or PJAN?
DECM ends its outcome period on Dec 18, 2026 and PJAN on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DECM or PJAN?
DECM charges 0.85% a year and PJAN charges 0.79%, so PJAN is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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Sources and dates

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How this is computed

It is a place in a set, not a rating or a recommendation.

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.

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ETFIQ, DECM against PJAN, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/decm-vs-pjan

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