Data as of Nov 4, 2026.
DLAG vs USEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
As of Nov 4, 2026 USEP can fall 5.6% before its buffer engages and DLAG 1.8%, and DLAG resets 11 days sooner.
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Net assets: $20m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Dual Directional Buffer ETF - August, and $245m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF - Sep.
DLAG: reference +0.1% since period start, fund +0.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +13.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
DLAG: reference +0.1% since period start, fund +0.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +13.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.USEP: reference −0.1% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.7%; In the unprotected slice. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
USEP: reference −0.1% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer −5 to −35; cap +14.7%; In the unprotected slice. Data to Nov 4, 2026.Pair scorecard
USEP costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.2 points; USEP is 12.2 times larger.
Points (pts) are percentage points.
| Measure | DLAG | USEP |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +10.2% | +9.0% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Index fall to the buffer | 0.1% | 4.9% |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | SPY | SPY |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.85% | 0.79% |
| Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 | $20m | $243m |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | not published | |
Window by window
| Total return | Gap to the reference's price return | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Window | DLAG | USEP | DLAG | USEP |
| 3 months | +1.2% | +1.0% | +1.6 pts | +1.4 pts |
| 6 months | +4.1% | +3.7% | −0.4 pts | −0.8 pts |
| 1 year | +10.2% | +9.0% | −3.4 pts | −4.6 pts |
| 3 years | – | +43.2% | – | −33.2 pts |
| Since launchNot the same days: DLAG Sep 2025 · USEP Sep 2019 | +10.7% | +72.9% | −4.3 pts | −90.9 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
As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
These are two different products. USEP is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. DLAG is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.
USEP has fallen through its protection. The index is 0.1% below where the buffer stops, and that part of the loss is the holder’s.
Where each one stands today
DLAG resets first, on Aug 20, 2027, 289 days from now; USEP runs to Aug 31, 2027, 300 days. DLAG can still gain 11.6% before its cap, USEP 14.0%. A fall from here reaches DLAG’s buffer after 1.8% and USEP’s after 5.6%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.
DLAG
From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 11.6% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.8% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.1% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 10.0% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 289 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Aug 20, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
USEP
From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 14.0% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 5.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 4.9% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 30.0% of the 30.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 300 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Aug 31, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
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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.
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ETFIQ, DLAG against USEP, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/dlag-vs-usep
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[DLAG against USEP (ETFIQ, Nov 4, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/dlag-vs-usep)
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