Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

OCTM vs XOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 XOCT can fall 1.3% before its buffer engages and OCTM 1.2%.

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Net assets on Nov 3, 2026: $42m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - October and $38m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - October.

At a glance
1.2%
OCTM can fall this far before its buffer
1.3%
XOCT can fall this far before its buffer
7.0%
OCTM can still gain
10.1%
XOCT can still gain
OCTM Full floor
Full floorOCTM: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.4%; buffer Floor; cap +8.3%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneath+7.8% to capfull floor0% period start+8.3% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Full floorOCTM: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.4%; buffer Floor; cap +8.3%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.full floor beneathfull floor0% start+8.3% cap+0.5% gain captured+7.8% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

OCTM: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.4%; buffer Floor; cap +8.3%; Full floor. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.
XOCT Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capXOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer+11% to cap−15.0% floor0% period start+11.5% cap+0.5% gain capturedTODAY · SPY +0.5%Between buffer and capXOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+11.5% cap+0.5% gain captured+11% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.5%

XOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

XOCT: reference +0.5% since period start, fund +0.5%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +11.5%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

Both cost 0.85% a year; their one-year returns differ by 3.2 points; OCTM is 1.1 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

OCTM vs XOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureOCTMXOCT
Return
Total return, 1 year+6.3%+9.5%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer0.5%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.85%0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$42m$38m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Window by window

Window by window: OCTM vs XOCT: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowOCTMXOCTOCTMXOCT
3 months+1.6%+1.9%+1.9 pts+2.3 pts
6 months+3.1%+4.4%−1.4 pts−0.1 pts
1 year+6.3%+9.5%−7.3 pts−4.0 pts
3 years–+31.7%–−44.7 pts
Since launchNot the same days: OCTM Oct 2024 · XOCT Oct 2023+13.2%+34.4%−18.1 pts−47.9 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

OCTM FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - October · Absorbs the whole loss on SPY and caps the gain at 8.3%, over a period ending Oct 15, 2027 XOCT FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - October · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 11.5%, over a period ending Oct 15, 2027
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 100% 15%
Outcome period Oct 19, 2026 to Oct 15, 2027 Oct 19, 2026 to Oct 15, 2027
Days left 345 345
Starting cap +8.3% +11.5%
Can still gain 7.0% 10.1%
Fall before buffer 1.2% 1.3%
Protection left, index points 100.0% of 100.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +0.5% +0.5%
Fund return this period +0.4% +0.5%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.85% 0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 $42m $38m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. OCTM is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. XOCT 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

OCTM resets first, on Oct 15, 2027, 345 days from now; XOCT runs to Oct 15, 2027, 345 days. OCTM can still gain 7.0% before its cap, XOCT 10.1%. A fall from here reaches OCTM’s buffer after 1.2% and XOCT’s after 1.3%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
OCTM

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 7.0% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 0.5% 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. 345 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Oct 15, 2027 the period ends and a new cap is set.

XOCT

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 10.1% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 1.3% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. 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, OCTM or XOCT?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, OCTM can gain about 7.0% before its cap and XOCT about 10.1%, so XOCT has more room left this period.
Which resets first, OCTM or XOCT?
OCTM ends its outcome period on Oct 15, 2027 and XOCT on Oct 15, 2027. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, OCTM or XOCT?
OCTM and XOCT both charge 0.85% a year, so neither is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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Sources and dates

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, OCTM against XOCT, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/octm-vs-xoct

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