Which has more room to gain, DQSE or PQOC?

From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DQSE can gain about 19.8% before its cap and PQOC about 25.4%, so PQOC has more room left this period.

Which resets first, DQSE or PQOC?

DQSE ends its outcome period on Sep 17, 2027 and PQOC on Sep 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.

Which is cheaper, DQSE or PQOC?

DQSE charges 0.90% a year and PQOC charges 0.50%, so PQOC is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Buffer ETFs

DQSE vs PQOC: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 DQSE can fall 0.0% before its buffer engages and PQOC 0.0%, and DQSE resets 13 days sooner.

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Net assets: $24m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest Nasdaq-100 Dual Directional Buffer ETF - September, and $29m on Nov 4, 2026 for PGIM Nasdaq-100 Buffer 12 ETF - October.

DQSE on its own →PQOC on its own →

At a glance

0.0%

DQSE can fall this far before its buffer

0.0%

PQOC can fall this far before its buffer

19.8%

DQSE can still gain

25.4%

PQOC can still gain

DQSE Buffer working

DQSE: reference −4.1% since period start, fund −1.6%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +18.8%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

PQOC Buffer working

PQOC: reference −6.5% since period start, fund −3.6%; buffer 0 to −12; cap +21.4%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PQOC costs 0.40 points a year less; PQOC is 1.2 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DQSE vs PQOC: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Measure	DQSE	PQOC
Return
Measure	DQSE	PQOC
Total return, 1 year	not published	+10.3%
Benchmark
Measure	DQSE	PQOC
What it tracks	QQQ	QQQ
Cost and size
Measure	DQSE	PQOC
Expense ratio	0.90%	0.50%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026	$24m	$28m
Holdings
Measure	DQSE	PQOC
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DQSE vs PQOC: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
	Total return		Gap to the reference's price return
Window	DQSE	PQOC	DQSE	PQOC
3 months	–	−1.1%	–	+2.4 pts
6 months	–	+2.1%	–	+2.7 pts
1 year	–	+10.3%	–	−1.5 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DQSE Sep 2026 · PQOC Jan 2025	−3.2%	+25.1%	+3.5 pts	−10.5 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

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 PQOC PGIM Nasdaq-100 Buffer 12 ETF - October · Absorbs the first 12% of loss on QQQ and caps the gain at 21.4%, over a period ending Sep 30, 2027

Issuer First Trust PGIM

Reference index QQQ QQQ

Buffer 0% to 10% 12%

Outcome period Sep 21, 2026 to Sep 17, 2027 Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027

Days left 317 330

Starting cap +18.8% +21.4%

Can still gain 19.8% 25.4%

Fall before buffer 0.0% 0.0%

Protection left, index points 5.9% of 10.0% 5.5% of 12.0%

Index return this period −4.1% −6.5%

Fund return this period −1.6% −3.6%

State today Buffer working Buffer working

Expense ratio 0.90% 0.50%

Net assets, DQSE as of Nov 3, 2026 and PQOC as of Nov 4, 2026 $24m $29m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. PQOC 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.

Where each one stands today

DQSE resets first, on Sep 17, 2027, 317 days from now; PQOC runs to Sep 30, 2027, 330 days. DQSE can still gain 19.8% before its cap, PQOC 25.4%. A fall from here reaches DQSE’s buffer after 0.0% and PQOC’s after 0.0%. Both track QQQ, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Alert

About each fund

DQSE

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 19.8% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 5.9% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's QQQ level. 317 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Sep 17, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

PQOC

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 25.4% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 5.5% of the 12.0% buffer still sits below today's QQQ level. 330 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Sep 30, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DQSE or PQOC?: From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DQSE can gain about 19.8% before its cap and PQOC about 25.4%, so PQOC has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DQSE or PQOC?: DQSE ends its outcome period on Sep 17, 2027 and PQOC on Sep 30, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DQSE or PQOC?: DQSE charges 0.90% a year and PQOC charges 0.50%, so PQOC is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

DQSE vs NOCT DQSE vs QBQF DQSE vs QSPT DQSE vs CPNS PQOC vs QSPT PQOC vs QBQF PQOC vs QBQV PQOC vs QBUF

Where to next

Invesco QQQ Trust →All buffer ETFs ranked by the Downside Cover Score →How the scores are computed →DQSE on its own →PQOC on its own →PQOC dividend history →Method →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

DQSE filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

First Trust page for DQSE ↗

PQOC filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

PGIM website ↗

Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.

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, DQSE against PQOC, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/dqse-vs-pqoc

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Free to use with attribution for data ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.