Data as of .
DQSE vs NOCT: which one stands where?
As of Sep 21, 2026 NOCT can fall 12.5% before its buffer engages and DQSE 2.3%, and NOCT resets 352 days sooner.
These are two different products. NOCT is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. DQSE is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.
They do not reset together. NOCT has 9 days of its period left and DQSE has 361, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.
Where each one stands today
NOCT resets first, on Sep 30, 2026, 9 days from now; DQSE runs to Sep 17, 2027, 361 days. DQSE can still gain 16.2% before its cap, NOCT 0.1%. A fall from here reaches DQSE’s buffer after 2.3% and NOCT’s after 12.5%. Both track QQQ, 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DQSE | NOCT | DQSE | NOCT | |
| 3 months | not published | +3.0% | not published | +5.4 pts |
| 6 months | not published | +13.6% | not published | −10.7 pts |
| 1 year | not published | +13.5% | not published | −8.3 pts |
| 3 years | not published | +51.3% | not published | −46.9 pts |
| DQSE FT Vest Nasdaq-100 Dual Directional Buffer ETF - September Absorbs the first 0% to 10% of loss on QQQ and caps the gain at 18.8%, over a period ending Sep 17, 2027 | NOCT Innovator Growth-100 Power Buffer ETF - Oct Absorbs the first 15% of loss on QQQ and caps the gain at 14.3%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | First Trust | Innovator |
| Reference index | QQQ | QQQ |
| Buffer | 0% to 10% | 15% |
| Outcome period | Sep 21, 2026 to Sep 17, 2027 | Sep 30, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026 |
| Days left | 361 | 9 |
| Starting cap | +18.8% | +14.3% |
| Can still gain | 16.2% | 0.1% |
| Fall before buffer | 2.3% | 12.5% |
| Protection left, index points | 10.0% of 10.0% | 15.0% of 15.0% |
| Index return this period | +2.6% | +23.4% |
| Fund return this period | +1.4% | +13.3% |
| State today | Open | At cap |
| Expense ratio | 0.90% | 0.79% |
| Net assets | $1m | $228m |
DQSE in plain words
From its price on Sep 21, 2026, the fund can gain about 16.2% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 2.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, QQQ can fall 2.6% 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 QQQ level. 361 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Sep 17, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.
NOCT in plain words
QQQ had already risen past this fund's cap of +14.3% 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 0.1% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 12.5% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, QQQ can fall 18.9% 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 QQQ level. 9 days remained on Sep 21, 2026. On Sep 30, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
- Which has more room to gain, DQSE or NOCT?
- From their prices on Sep 21, 2026, DQSE can gain about 16.2% before its cap and NOCT about 0.1%, so DQSE has more room left this period.
- Which resets first, DQSE or NOCT?
- DQSE ends its outcome period on Sep 17, 2027 and NOCT on Sep 30, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
- Which is cheaper, DQSE or NOCT?
- DQSE charges 0.90% a year and NOCT charges 0.79%, so NOCT 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, DQSE against NOCT, data as of Sep 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/dqse-vs-noct Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.