Which has more room to gain, DQSE or QBQF?

From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DQSE can gain about 19.8% before its cap and QBQF about 4.6%, so DQSE has more room left this period.

Which resets first, DQSE or QBQF?

DQSE ends its outcome period on Sep 17, 2027 and QBQF on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.

Which is cheaper, DQSE or QBQF?

DQSE charges 0.90% a year and QBQF charges 0.74%, so QBQF is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Buffer ETFs

DQSE vs QBQF: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 DQSE can fall 0.0% before its buffer engages and QBQF 0.0%, and QBQF resets 260 days sooner.

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Net assets on Nov 3, 2026: $24m for FT Vest Nasdaq-100 Dual Directional Buffer ETF - September and $13m for AllianzIM Growth-100 Buffer15 ETF - Jan.

DQSE on its own →QBQF on its own →

At a glance

0.0%

DQSE can fall this far before its buffer

0.0%

QBQF can fall this far before its buffer

19.8%

DQSE can still gain

4.6%

QBQF 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.

QBQF Buffer working

QBQF: reference −6.5% since period start, fund −1.1%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +3.6%; Buffer working. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

QBQF costs 0.16 points a year less; DQSE is 1.8 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DQSE vs QBQF: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Measure	DQSE	QBQF
Benchmark
Measure	DQSE	QBQF
What it tracks	QQQ	QQQ
Cost and size
Measure	DQSE	QBQF
Expense ratio	0.90%	0.74%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026	$24m	$13m
Holdings
Measure	DQSE	QBQF
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DQSE vs QBQF: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
	Total return		Gap to the reference's price return
Window	DQSE	QBQF	DQSE	QBQF
3 months	–	−1.1%	–	+2.4 pts
6 months	–	−0.2%	–	+0.3 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DQSE Sep 2026 · QBQF Apr 2026	−3.2%	+2.4%	+3.5 pts	−16.1 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 QBQF AllianzIM Growth-100 Buffer15 ETF - Jan · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on QQQ and caps the gain at 3.6%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026

Issuer First Trust AllianzIM

Reference index QQQ QQQ

Buffer 0% to 10% 15%

Outcome period Sep 21, 2026 to Sep 17, 2027 Oct 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026

Days left 317 57

Starting cap +18.8% +3.6%

Can still gain 19.8% 4.6%

Fall before buffer 0.0% 0.0%

Protection left, index points 5.9% of 10.0% 8.5% of 15.0%

Index return this period −4.1% −6.5%

Fund return this period −1.6% −1.1%

State today Buffer working Buffer working

Expense ratio 0.90% 0.74%

Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 $24m $13m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. QBQF 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. QBQF has 57 days of its period left and DQSE has 317, so the two are not the same bet on the same months.

Where each one stands today

QBQF resets first, on Dec 31, 2026, 57 days from now; DQSE runs to Sep 17, 2027, 317 days. DQSE can still gain 19.8% before its cap, QBQF 4.6%. A fall from here reaches DQSE’s buffer after 0.0% and QBQF’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.

QBQF

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 4.6% more before it reaches its cap. Protection left, in index points: 8.5% of the 15.0% buffer still sits below today's QQQ level. 57 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DQSE or QBQF?: From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DQSE can gain about 19.8% before its cap and QBQF about 4.6%, so DQSE has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DQSE or QBQF?: DQSE ends its outcome period on Sep 17, 2027 and QBQF on Dec 31, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DQSE or QBQF?: DQSE charges 0.90% a year and QBQF charges 0.74%, so QBQF is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

DQSE vs QBUF DQSE vs PQOC DQSE vs CPNS DQSE vs QBQV QBQF vs NJAN QBQF vs PQJA QBQF vs QBQV QBQF 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 →QBQF on its own →Method →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

DQSE filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

First Trust page for DQSE ↗

QBQF filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

AllianzIM page for QBQF ↗

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 QBQF, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/dqse-vs-qbqf

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