Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

FEBM vs FFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 FFEB can fall 8.9% before its buffer engages and FEBM 4.7%.

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Net assets on Nov 3, 2026: $46m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - February and $1.4bn for FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - February.

At a glance
4.7%
FEBM can fall this far before its buffer
8.9%
FFEB can fall this far before its buffer
2.0%
FEBM can still gain
4.9%
FFEB can still gain
FEBM At its cap
At its capFEBM: reference +11.2% since period start, fund +4.1%; buffer 0 to −47; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.47.3 pts of buffer+7%−47.3% floor0% period start+7.0% capTODAY · SPY +11.2%At its capFEBM: reference +11.2% since period start, fund +4.1%; buffer 0 to −47; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.47.3 pts of buffer−47.3% floor0% start+7.0% cap+7% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +11.2%

FEBM: reference +11.2% since period start, fund +4.1%; buffer 0 to −47; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

FEBM: reference +11.2% since period start, fund +4.1%; buffer 0 to −47; cap +7.0%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
FFEB Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capFFEB: reference +11.2% since period start, fund +8.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +15.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts+11.2% gained−10.0% floor0% period start+15.0% cap+3.8% more to the capTODAY · SPY +11.2%Between buffer and capFFEB: reference +11.2% since period start, fund +8.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +15.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.−10.0% floor0% start+15.0% cap10 pts of buffer+11.2% gain captured+3.8% more to the capTODAY · SPY +11.2%

FFEB: reference +11.2% since period start, fund +8.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +15.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

FFEB: reference +11.2% since period start, fund +8.9%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +15.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.85% a year; their one-year returns differ by 7.6 points; FFEB is far larger, $1.4bn against $46m.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

FEBM vs FFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureFEBMFFEB
Return
Total return, 1 year+6.1%+13.7%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer10.1%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$46m$1.4bn
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · FEBM scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score92.6FEBM38.7FFEB

How much of a bear-market fall the buffer would absorb from today's level, ranked against 292 buffer ETFs on stocks with a live outcome period. 100 is best. How it is computed

0.3, the lowest in this set 99.7, the highest

Today's position against one 20% fall; it ignores smaller falls, and stock buffers are never ranked against bond or commodity ones. All buffer ETFs ranked by it →

Method

Window by window

Window by window: FEBM vs FFEB: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowFEBMFFEBFEBMFFEB
3 months+1.0%+1.3%+1.4 pts+1.7 pts
6 months+2.6%+4.8%−1.9 pts+0.3 pts
1 year+6.1%+13.7%−7.4 pts+0.1 pts
3 years–+59.7%–−16.7 pts
Since launchNot the same days: FEBM Feb 2025 · FFEB Feb 2020+10.6%+109.3%−17.8 pts−28.6 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

FEBM FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - February · Absorbs the first 47% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 7.0%, over a period ending Feb 19, 2027 FFEB FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - February · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 15.0%, over a period ending Feb 19, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 47% 10%
Outcome period Feb 23, 2026 to Feb 19, 2027 Feb 23, 2026 to Feb 19, 2027
Days left 107 107
Starting cap +7.0% +15.0%
Can still gain 2.0% 4.9%
Fall before buffer 4.7% 8.9%
Protection left, index points 47.3% of 47.3% 10.0% of 10.0%
Index return this period +11.2% +11.2%
Fund return this period +4.1% +8.9%
State today At cap Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 $46m $1.4bn

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

FEBM is already at its cap, so more rise in the index adds nothing to it before the period ends.

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

Where each one stands today

FEBM resets first, on Feb 19, 2027, 107 days from now; FFEB runs to Feb 19, 2027, 107 days. FEBM can still gain 2.0% before its cap, FFEB 4.9%. A fall from here reaches FEBM’s buffer after 4.7% and FFEB’s after 8.9%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
FEBM

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +7.0% for the period on Nov 4, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 2.0% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 4.7% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.1% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 47.3% of the 47.3% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 107 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Feb 19, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

FFEB

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 4.9% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 8.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. Protection left, in index points: 10.0% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, FEBM or FFEB?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, FEBM can gain about 2.0% before its cap and FFEB about 4.9%, so FFEB has more room left this period.
Which resets first, FEBM or FFEB?
FEBM ends its outcome period on Feb 19, 2027 and FFEB on Feb 19, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, FEBM or FFEB?
FEBM and FFEB both charge 0.85% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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Sources and dates

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How this is computed

It is a place in a set, not a rating or a recommendation.

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, FEBM against FFEB, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/febm-vs-ffeb

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