Which has more room to gain, DSEP or XSEP?

From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DSEP can gain about 12.9% before its cap and XSEP about 9.4%, so DSEP has more room left this period.

Which resets first, DSEP or XSEP?

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

Which is cheaper, DSEP or XSEP?

DSEP and XSEP both charge 0.85% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Buffer ETFs

DSEP vs XSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 DSEP can fall 6.5% before its buffer engages and XSEP 1.7%.

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Net assets on Nov 3, 2026: $429m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - September and $99m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - September.

DSEP on its own →XSEP on its own →

At a glance

6.5%

DSEP can fall this far before its buffer

1.7%

XSEP can fall this far before its buffer

12.9%

DSEP can still gain

9.4%

XSEP can still gain

DSEP Between buffer and cap

DSEP: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.7%; buffer −5 to −30; cap +14.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

XSEP Between buffer and cap

XSEP: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.9%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.85% a year; their one-year returns differ by 1.2 points; DSEP is 4.3 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

DSEP vs XSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Measure	DSEP	XSEP
Return
Measure	DSEP	XSEP
Total return, 1 year	+10.5%	+9.3%
Drawdown
Measure	DSEP	XSEP
Index fall to the buffer	5.6%	0.6%
Benchmark
Measure	DSEP	XSEP
What it tracks	SPY	SPY
Cost and size
Measure	DSEP	XSEP
Expense ratio	0.85%	0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026	$429m	$99m
Holdings
Measure	DSEP	XSEP
Holdings in common	not published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: DSEP vs XSEP: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
	Total return		Gap to the reference's price return
Window	DSEP	XSEP	DSEP	XSEP
3 months	+1.7%	+1.6%	+2.1 pts	+1.9 pts
6 months	+5.0%	+4.1%	+0.5 pts	−0.4 pts
1 year	+10.5%	+9.3%	−3.1 pts	−4.3 pts
3 years	+42.5%	+32.5%	−33.9 pts	−44.0 pts
Since launchNot the same days: DSEP Sep 2020 · XSEP Sep 2022	+65.4%	+51.6%	−69.1 pts	−53.3 pts

Each fund's gap is to its reference's price return, dividends left out: the basis the outcome period uses. Open this comparison in the app →

Side by side

DSEP FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - September · Absorbs losses from 5.0% to 30.0% on SPY and caps the gain at 14.6%, over a period ending Sep 17, 2027 XSEP FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - September · Absorbs the first 0% to 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 11.2%, over a period ending Sep 17, 2027

Issuer First Trust First Trust

Reference index SPY SPY

Buffer 5% to 30% 0% to 15%

Outcome period Sep 21, 2026 to Sep 17, 2027 Sep 21, 2026 to Sep 17, 2027

Days left 317 317

Starting cap +14.6% +11.2%

Can still gain 12.9% 9.4%

Fall before buffer 6.5% 1.7%

Protection left, index points 25.0% of 25.0% 15.0% of 15.0%

Index return this period +0.7% +0.7%

Fund return this period +0.7% +0.9%

State today Open Open

Expense ratio 0.85% 0.85%

Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 $429m $99m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. XSEP is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. DSEP is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.

Both are First Trust funds, so the difference between them is the terms rather than the house.

Where each one stands today

DSEP resets first, on Sep 17, 2027, 317 days from now; XSEP runs to Sep 17, 2027, 317 days. DSEP can still gain 12.9% before its cap, XSEP 9.4%. A fall from here reaches DSEP’s buffer after 6.5% and XSEP’s after 1.7%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund

DSEP

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 12.9% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 6.5% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 5.6% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 25.0% of the 25.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 317 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Sep 17, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

XSEP

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 9.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.6% 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.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, DSEP or XSEP?: From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, DSEP can gain about 12.9% before its cap and XSEP about 9.4%, so DSEP has more room left this period.
Which resets first, DSEP or XSEP?: DSEP ends its outcome period on Sep 17, 2027 and XSEP on Sep 17, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, DSEP or XSEP?: DSEP and XSEP both charge 0.85% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

DSEP vs APOC DSEP vs SIXO DSEP vs OCTT DSEP vs AOCT XSEP vs PQV XSEP vs OCTW XSEP vs GSEP XSEP vs ZOCT

Where to next

State Street® SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust →All buffer ETFs ranked by the Downside Cover Score →How the scores are computed →DSEP on its own →XSEP on its own →Method →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

DSEP and XSEP filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

First Trust page for DSEP ↗

First Trust page for XSEP ↗

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.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, DSEP against XSEP, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/dsep-vs-xsep

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