Data as of .
DECU vs SQBA: which one stands where?
As of Sep 21, 2026 DECU can fall 9.2% before its buffer engages and SQBA 0.8%, and SQBA resets 11 days sooner.
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score: SQBA 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
Where each one stands today
SQBA resets first, on Nov 20, 2026, 60 days from now; DECU runs to Nov 30, 2026, 71 days. A fall from here reaches DECU’s buffer after 9.2% and SQBA’s after 0.8%. 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 | SQBA | DECU | SQBA | |
| 3 months | +0.8% | not published | −1.5 pts | not published |
| 6 months | +11.0% | not published | −7.0 pts | not published |
| 1 year | +10.3% | not published | −6.3 pts | not published |
| 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 | SQBA FT Vest U.S. Equity Quarterly 15 Buffer ETF Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 2.6%, over a period ending Nov 20, 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | AllianzIM | First Trust |
| Reference index | SPY | SPY |
| Buffer | 15% | 15% |
| Outcome period | Dec 1, 2025 to Nov 30, 2026 | Aug 24, 2026 to Nov 20, 2026 |
| Days left | 71 | 60 |
| Starting cap | uncapped | +2.6% |
| Can still gain | uncapped | 1.8% |
| Fall before buffer | 9.2% | 0.8% |
| Protection left, index points | 15.0% of 15.0% | 15.0% of 15.0% |
| Index return this period | +13.3% | +1.1% |
| Fund return this period | +9.2% | +0.6% |
| State today | Uncapped | Open |
| Expense ratio | 0.74% | 0.85% |
| Net assets | $52m | $3m |
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.
SQBA in plain words
From its price on Sep 21, 2026, the fund can gain about 1.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.8% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, SPY can fall 1.0% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. 60 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Nov 20, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
- Which resets first, DECU or SQBA?
- DECU ends its outcome period on Nov 30, 2026 and SQBA on Nov 20, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
- Which is cheaper, DECU or SQBA?
- DECU charges 0.74% a year and SQBA charges 0.85%, 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 SQBA, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/decu-vs-sqba Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.