Data as of .
DECU vs DECW: which one stands where?
As of Sep 21, 2026 DECU can fall 9.2% before its buffer engages and DECW 8.5%.
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score: DECW scores higher
If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
A percentile among the 293 buffer ETFs with a live outcome period. It is a position in a set, not a rating, and neither end of it is a recommendation. All buffer ETFs ranked by it · How it is computed
Both are AllianzIM funds, so the difference between them is the terms rather than the house.
Where each one stands today
DECU resets first, on Nov 30, 2026, 71 days from now; DECW runs to Nov 30, 2026, 71 days. A fall from here reaches DECU’s buffer after 9.2% and DECW’s after 8.5%. 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DECU | DECW | DECU | DECW | |
| 3 months | +0.8% | +2.4% | −1.5 pts | +0.1 pts |
| 6 months | +11.0% | +9.3% | −7.0 pts | −8.7 pts |
| 1 year | +10.3% | +11.0% | −6.3 pts | −5.6 pts |
| 3 years | not published | +36.4% | not published | −42.0 pts |
| DECU AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer15 Uncapped ETF - Dec Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and does not cap the gain, over a period ending Nov 30, 2026 | DECW AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer20 ETF - Dec Absorbs the first 20% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 11.3%, over a period ending Nov 30, 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | AllianzIM | AllianzIM |
| Reference index | SPY | SPY |
| Buffer | 15% | 20% |
| Outcome period | Dec 1, 2025 to Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 1, 2025 to Nov 30, 2026 |
| Days left | 71 | 71 |
| Starting cap | uncapped | +11.3% |
| Can still gain | uncapped | 1.9% |
| Fall before buffer | 9.2% | 8.5% |
| Protection left, index points | 15.0% of 15.0% | 20.0% of 20.0% |
| Index return this period | +13.3% | +13.3% |
| Fund return this period | +9.2% | +8.4% |
| State today | Uncapped | At cap |
| Expense ratio | 0.74% | 0.74% |
| Net assets | $52m | $228m |
DECU in plain words
This fund has no cap. It takes a share of any further rise in SPY. The fund's price can fall 9.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.7% 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. 71 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Nov 30, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
DECW in plain words
SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +11.3% for the period on Sep 21, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 1.9% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 8.5% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. Protection left, in index points: 20.0% of the 20.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level.
Questions people ask
- Which resets first, DECU or DECW?
- DECU ends its outcome period on Nov 30, 2026 and DECW on Nov 30, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
- Which is cheaper, DECU or DECW?
- DECU charges 0.74% a year and DECW charges 0.74%, so DECU 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, DECU against DECW, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/decu-vs-decw Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.