Data as of Nov 4, 2026.
JAJL vs SQMX: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
As of Nov 4, 2026 JAJL can fall 1.9% before its buffer engages and SQMX 1.0%, and SQMX resets 13 days sooner.
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Net assets: $305m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 6 Mo Jan/Jul, and $55m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Quarterly Max Buffer ETF.
JAJL: reference +2.6% since period start, fund +1.7%; buffer Floor; cap +4.1%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
Data to Nov 4, 2026.SQMX: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −12; cap +3.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
SQMX: reference +0.7% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −12; cap +3.0%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.Pair scorecard
JAJL costs 0.06 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.1 points; JAJL is 5.5 times larger.
Points (pts) are percentage points.
| Measure | JAJL | SQMX |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +5.7% | +6.8% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Index fall to the buffer | 2.6% | 0.7% |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | SPY | SPY |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.79% | 0.85% |
| Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 | $304m | $55m |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | not published | |
Window by window
| Total return | Gap to the reference's price return | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Window | JAJL | SQMX | JAJL | SQMX |
| 3 months | +0.8% | +1.2% | +1.2 pts | +1.6 pts |
| 6 months | +2.6% | +3.3% | −1.9 pts | −1.2 pts |
| 1 year | +5.7% | +6.8% | −7.9 pts | −6.8 pts |
| Since launchNot the same days: JAJL Jul 2024 · SQMX Dec 2024 | +16.5% | +13.7% | −24.1 pts | −15.2 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
As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
These are two different products. JAJL is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. SQMX 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
SQMX resets first, on Dec 18, 2026, 44 days from now; JAJL runs to Dec 31, 2026, 57 days. JAJL can still gain 2.1% before its cap, SQMX 2.0%. A fall from here reaches JAJL’s buffer after 1.9% and SQMX’s after 1.0%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.
JAJL
From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 2.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.9% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 2.6% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 100.0% of the 100.0% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 57 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
SQMX
From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 2.0% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.0% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.7% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 12.5% of the 12.5% buffer still sits below today's SPY level. 44 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Dec 18, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
Questions people ask
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, JAJL against SQMX, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/jajl-vs-sqmx
ETFIQ. (Nov 4, 2026). JAJL against SQMX. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/jajl-vs-sqmx
[JAJL against SQMX (ETFIQ, Nov 4, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/jajl-vs-sqmx)
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