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Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

PDEC vs SQBA: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 PDEC can fall 10.1% before its buffer engages and SQBA 1.0%, and SQBA resets 10 days sooner.

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Net assets: $987m on Nov 4, 2026 for Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Dec, and $3.1m on Nov 3, 2026 for FT Vest U.S. Equity Quarterly 15 Buffer ETF.

PDEC on its own →SQBA on its own →
At a glance
10.1%
PDEC can fall this far before its buffer
1.0%
SQBA can fall this far before its buffer
1.8%
PDEC can still gain
1.6%
SQBA can still gain
PDEC Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capPDEC: reference +12.2% since period start, fund +10.3%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer+12.2% gain captured−15.0% floor0% period start+13.1% cap+1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +12.2%Between buffer and capPDEC: reference +12.2% since period start, fund +10.3%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts+12.2%−15.0% floor0% start+13.1% cap+1% more to the capTODAY · SPY +12.2%

PDEC: reference +12.2% since period start, fund +10.3%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

PDEC: reference +12.2% since period start, fund +10.3%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +13.1%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
SQBA Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capSQBA: reference +0.1% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +2.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer−15.0% floor0% period start+2.6% cap+0.1% gain captured+2.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.1%Between buffer and capSQBA: reference +0.1% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +2.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+2.6% cap+0.1% gain captured+2.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +0.1%

SQBA: reference +0.1% since period start, fund +0.8%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +2.6%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

PDEC costs 0.06 points a year less; PDEC is far larger, $975m against $3.1m.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

PDEC vs SQBA: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasurePDECSQBA
Return
Total return, 1 year+12.2%not published
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer10.8%0.1%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.79%0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$975m$3.1m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · SQBA scores higher If the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
IQ Buffer Score30.1PDEC83.2SQBA

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: PDEC vs SQBA: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowPDECSQBAPDECSQBA
3 months+1.8%–+2.2 pts–
6 months+5.1%–+0.6 pts–
1 year+12.2%–−1.4 pts–
3 years+45.8%–−30.6 pts–
Since launchNot the same days: PDEC Dec 2019 · SQBA Aug 2026+80.7%+0.8%−65.4 pts+0.3 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

PDEC Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Dec · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 13.1%, over a period ending Nov 30, 2026 SQBA FT Vest U.S. Equity Quarterly 15 Buffer ETF · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 2.6%, over a period ending Nov 20, 2026
Issuer Innovator First Trust
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 15% 15%
Outcome period Nov 30, 2025 to Nov 30, 2026 Aug 24, 2026 to Nov 20, 2026
Days left 26 16
Starting cap +13.1% +2.6%
Can still gain 1.8% 1.6%
Fall before buffer 10.1% 1.0%
Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +12.2% +0.1%
Fund return this period +10.3% +0.8%
State today Open Open
Expense ratio 0.79% 0.85%
Net assets, PDEC as of Nov 4, 2026 and SQBA as of Nov 3, 2026 $987m $3.1m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Where each one stands today

SQBA resets first, on Nov 20, 2026, 16 days from now; PDEC runs to Nov 30, 2026, 26 days. PDEC can still gain 1.8% before its cap, SQBA 1.6%. A fall from here reaches PDEC’s buffer after 10.1% and SQBA’s after 1.0%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

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About each fund
PDEC

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 1.8% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 10.1% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 10.8% 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. 26 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Nov 30, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

SQBA

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 1.6% 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 0.1% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. 16 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Nov 20, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, PDEC or SQBA?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, PDEC can gain about 1.8% before its cap and SQBA about 1.6%, so PDEC has more room left this period.
Which resets first, PDEC or SQBA?
PDEC ends its outcome period on Nov 30, 2026 and SQBA on Nov 20, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, PDEC or SQBA?
PDEC charges 0.79% a year and SQBA charges 0.85%, so PDEC is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
PDEC vs PMDEPDEC vs DECUPDEC vs DDFDPDEC vs ZDEKSQBA vs DNOVSQBA vs UDECSQBA vs BDECSQBA vs DECW
Where to next
SPY →PDEC on its own →SQBA on its own →Method →Standards and sources →
Sources and dates
PDEC filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
Innovator page for PDEC ↗
SQBA filings on SEC EDGAR ↗
First Trust page for SQBA ↗

Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.

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, PDEC against SQBA, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/pdec-vs-sqba

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