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QBQF vs QDEC: which one stands where?

As of Oct 1, 2026 QDEC can fall 12.6% before its buffer engages and QBQF 0.2%, and QDEC resets 13 days sooner. AllianzIM Growth-100 Buffer15 ETF - Jan and FT Vest Nasdaq-100® Buffer ETF - December.

0.2%
QBQF can fall this far before its buffer
12.6%
QDEC can fall this far before its buffer
3.4%
QBQF can still gain
3.5%
QDEC can still gain
QBQFBetween buffer and cap
Between buffer and capQBQF: reference 0.0% since period start, fund 0.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +3.6%; Between buffer and cap.15 pts of buffer−15.0% floor0% period start+3.6% capTODAY · QQQ 0.0%Between buffer and capQBQF: reference 0.0% since period start, fund 0.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +3.6%; Between buffer and cap.15 pts−15.0% floor0% start+3.6% capTODAY · QQQ 0.0%

QBQF: reference 0.0% since period start, fund 0.0%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +3.6%; Between buffer and cap.

QDECAt its cap
At its capQDEC: reference +19.9% since period start, fund +13.3%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +18.2%; At its cap.10 pts of buffer+18.2% gain captured−10.0% floor0% period start+18.2% capTODAY · QQQ +19.9%At its capQDEC: reference +19.9% since period start, fund +13.3%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +18.2%; At its cap.10 pts+18.2% gained−10.0% floor0% start+18.2% capTODAY · QQQ +19.9%

QDEC: reference +19.9% since period start, fund +13.3%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +18.2%; At its cap.

ETFIQ Downside Cover Score · QBQF scores higherIf the market falls into a bear market from here, how much does the buffer absorb?
0.2, the lowest in this set99.8, the highest

A percentile among the 293 buffer ETFs with a live outcome period. It is a position in a set, not a rating, and neither end of it is a recommendation. All buffer ETFs ranked by it → How it is computed →

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

Where each one stands today

QDEC resets first, on Dec 18, 2026, 79 days from now; QBQF runs to Dec 31, 2026, 92 days. QBQF can still gain 3.4% before its cap, QDEC 3.5%. A fall from here reaches QBQF’s buffer after 0.2% and QDEC’s after 12.6%. Both track QQQ, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Every figure is ETFIQ’s own, from the issuer’s published outcome-period terms. A buffer ETF holds FLEX options on its reference index rather than shares, so there is no holdings overlap between two of them to report.

Performance, window by window

Total returnGap to the reference
WindowQBQFQDECQBQFQDEC
3 months+0.7%+3.9%−1.4 pts+1.8 pts
6 months+3.7%+16.8%−23.1 pts−10.1 pts
1 yearnot published+18.6%not published−5.2 pts
3 yearsnot published+63.0%not published−46.9 pts

QBQF and QDEC over each window. Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation with distributions reinvested. Source: ETFIQ. Open the live comparison on ETFIQ →

On the same fields

QBQF
AllianzIM Growth-100 Buffer15 ETF - Jan · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on QQQ and caps the gain at 3.6%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026
QDEC
FT Vest Nasdaq-100® Buffer ETF - December · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on QQQ and caps the gain at 18.2%, over a period ending Dec 18, 2026
Issuer AllianzIM First Trust
Reference index QQQ QQQ
Buffer 15% 10%
Outcome period Oct 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026 Dec 22, 2025 to Dec 18, 2026
Days left 92 79
Starting cap +3.6% +18.2%
Can still gain 3.4% 3.5%
Fall before buffer 0.2% 12.6%
Protection left, index points 15.0% of 15.0% 10.0% of 10.0%
Index return this period 0.0% +19.9%
Fund return this period 0.0% +13.3%
State today Open At cap
Expense ratio 0.74% 0.90%
Net assets $10m $691m

QBQF and QDEC on the same fields, as of Oct 1, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

QBQF in plain words

From its price on Oct 1, 2026, the fund can gain about 3.4% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 0.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, QQQ can fall 0.0% 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 QQQ level. 92 days remained on Oct 1, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

QDEC in plain words

QQQ had already risen past this fund's cap of +18.2% for the period on Oct 1, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 3.5% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 12.6% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's figure. In index terms, QQQ can fall 16.6% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 10.0% of the 10.0% buffer still sits below today's QQQ level. 79 days remained on Oct 1, 2026. On Dec 18, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, QBQF or QDEC?
From their prices on Oct 1, 2026, QBQF can gain about 3.4% before its cap and QDEC about 3.5%, so QDEC has more room left this period.
Which resets first, QBQF or QDEC?
QBQF ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and QDEC on Dec 18, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, QBQF or QDEC?
QBQF charges 0.74% a year and QDEC charges 0.90%, so QBQF is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
QBQF vs QBUFQBQF vs CPNQQBQF vs CPNSQBQF vs DDNQQDEC vs DDNQQDEC vs QBQVQDEC vs QBUFQDEC vs QQBF
Invesco QQQ Trust℠ →QBQF on its own →QDEC on its own →How every figure is computed →Standards and sources →
Where these figures came from
QBQF filings on SEC EDGAR ↗AllianzIM page for QBQF ↗QDEC filings on SEC EDGAR ↗First Trust page for QDEC ↗

ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this page

ETFIQ, QBQF against QDEC, data as of Oct 1, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/qbqf-vs-qdec

Open data

Free to use with attribution. Every figure is calculated from a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology.