Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Buffer ETFs

SIXJ vs XDEC: Cap, Buffer & Days Left

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As of Nov 4, 2026 XDEC can fall 8.4% before its buffer engages and SIXJ 3.0%, and XDEC resets 13 days sooner.

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Net assets on Nov 3, 2026: $148m for AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer10 ETF - Jan and $208m for FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - December.

At a glance
3.0%
SIXJ can fall this far before its buffer
8.4%
XDEC can fall this far before its buffer
5.0%
SIXJ can still gain
0.9%
XDEC can still gain
SIXJ Between buffer and cap
Between buffer and capSIXJ: reference +2.7% since period start, fund +2.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +8.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts of buffer+2.7%+5.5% to cap−10.0% floor0% period start+8.2% capTODAY · SPY +2.7%Between buffer and capSIXJ: reference +2.7% since period start, fund +2.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +8.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.10 pts−10.0% floor0% start+8.2% cap+2.7% gain captured+5.5% more to the capTODAY · SPY +2.7%

SIXJ: reference +2.7% since period start, fund +2.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +8.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

SIXJ: reference +2.7% since period start, fund +2.7%; buffer 0 to −10; cap +8.2%; Between buffer and cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
XDEC At its cap
At its capXDEC: reference +12.7% since period start, fund +8.2%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +10.1%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts of buffer+10.1% gain captured−15.0% floor0% period start+10.1% capTODAY · SPY +12.7%At its capXDEC: reference +12.7% since period start, fund +8.2%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +10.1%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.15 pts+10.1%−15.0% floor0% start+10.1% capTODAY · SPY +12.7%

XDEC: reference +12.7% since period start, fund +8.2%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +10.1%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

XDEC: reference +12.7% since period start, fund +8.2%; buffer 0 to −15; cap +10.1%; At its cap. Data to Nov 4, 2026.

Pair scorecard

SIXJ costs 0.11 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 2.3 points; XDEC is 1.4 times larger.

Points (pts) are percentage points.

SIXJ vs XDEC: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureSIXJXDEC
Return
Total return, 1 year+11.7%+9.4%
Drawdown
Index fall to the buffer2.6%11.2%
Benchmark
What it tracksSPYSPY
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.74%0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026$148m$208m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published

Method

Risk and return

Jan 14, 2022 to Oct 30, 2026 · 250 weekly returns · each against SPY
SIXJ XDEC
Return
Total return edge SIXJ +50.0% +43.5%
Annualized edge SIXJ +8.8% +7.8%
Price return edge SIXJ +50.0% +43.5%
Risk
Volatility edge XDEC 9.3% 7.5%
Max drawdown edge XDEC −12.2% −10.3%
Downside capture 57.0% 44.2%
Beta 0.53 0.43
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe edge SIXJ (slight) 0.51 0.49
Sortino edge SIXJ (slight) 0.74 0.73
Treynor 0.090 0.086
Calmar edge XDEC (slight) 0.72 0.76
Against the benchmark
Alpha +0.2% a year 0.0% a year
Alpha t-stat 0.10 −0.02
Information ratio −0.47 −0.51
Tracking error 8.4% 9.7%
Reading

From Jan 2022 to Oct 2026, SIXJ returned more: +50.0% to +43.5%. XDEC swung less: 7.5% to 9.3%. XDEC fell less at its worst: −10.3% to −12.2%.

Full scorecard

19 measures, with how each is measured
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Risk and return: SIXJ vs XDEC: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
MeasureSIXJXDECSPYEdgeHow it is measured
Return
Total return+50.0%+43.5%SIXJPrice change plus distributions, reinvested.
Annualized+8.8%+7.8%SIXJTotal return as a yearly rate.
Price return+50.0%+43.5%SIXJPrice change alone, distributions left out.
Risk
Volatility9.3%7.5%XDECSpread of weekly returns, annualized. Lower is steadier.
Downside deviation6.4%5.1%XDECLike volatility, counting only weeks below the Treasury bill rate.
Max drawdown−12.2%−10.3%XDECDeepest fall from a high to the low after it.
Upside capture41.1%30.5%100.0%SIXJShare of its benchmark's rise caught in the weeks it rose.
Downside capture57.0%44.2%100.0%XDECShare of its benchmark's fall taken in the weeks it fell. Lower is better.
Beta0.530.431.00XDEC lowerHow far it moves for each 1% its benchmark moves.
R squared0.870.881.00Not an edgeShare of its weekly moves its benchmark explains.
Risk-adjusted
Sharpe0.510.49SIXJ (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
Sortino0.740.73SIXJ (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of downside deviation.
Treynor0.0900.0860.087SIXJ (slight)Return above Treasury bills per unit of beta.
Calmar0.720.76XDEC (slight)Annualized return divided by the max drawdown.
Against the benchmark
BenchmarkSPYSPYSPYThe ETF each fund is measured against.
Alpha+0.2% a year0.0% a year0.0%Not significantYearly return beyond what its beta to the benchmark predicts.
Alpha t-stat0.10−0.02Not an edgeHow sure the alpha is. Below 2, it could be chance.
Alpha range−2.9% to +3.2%−2.4% to +2.4%Both include zeroThe 95% range for the yearly alpha.
Information ratio−0.47−0.51SIXJ (slight)Return against its benchmark per unit of tracking error.
Tracking error8.4%9.7%0.0%Not an edgeHow far weekly returns stray from the benchmark, annualized.

Computed by ETFIQ from Tiingo daily prices and ETFIQ's distribution records, 250 weekly returns. Cash rate: the 13-week Treasury bill.

Window by window

Window by window: SIXJ vs XDEC: Cap, Buffer & Days Left
Total returnGap to the reference's price return
WindowSIXJXDECSIXJXDEC
3 months+0.8%+1.7%+1.2 pts+2.1 pts
6 months+4.7%+4.3%+0.2 pts−0.1 pts
1 year+11.7%+9.4%−1.8 pts−4.1 pts
3 years+51.3%+31.9%−25.1 pts−44.5 pts
Since launchNot the same days: SIXJ Jan 2022 · XDEC Dec 2021+48.9%+46.1%−11.7 pts−22.4 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

SIXJ AllianzIM U.S. Equity Buffer10 ETF - Jan · Absorbs the first 10% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 8.2%, over a period ending Dec 31, 2026 XDEC FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF - December · Absorbs the first 15% of loss on SPY and caps the gain at 10.1%, over a period ending Dec 18, 2026
Reference index SPY SPY
Buffer 10% 15%
Outcome period Jul 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026 Dec 22, 2025 to Dec 18, 2026
Days left 57 44
Starting cap +8.2% +10.1%
Can still gain 5.0% 0.9%
Fall before buffer 3.0% 8.4%
Protection left, index points 10.0% of 10.0% 15.0% of 15.0%
Index return this period +2.7% +12.7%
Fund return this period +2.7% +8.2%
State today Open At cap
Expense ratio 0.74% 0.85%
Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 $148m $208m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

These are two different products. XDEC is a floor fund, which caps how far a holder can fall. SIXJ is a buffer fund, which absorbs the first part of a fall and leaves everything below it with the holder.

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

Where each one stands today

XDEC resets first, on Dec 18, 2026, 44 days from now; SIXJ runs to Dec 31, 2026, 57 days. SIXJ can still gain 5.0% before its cap, XDEC 0.9%. A fall from here reaches SIXJ’s buffer after 3.0% and XDEC’s after 8.4%. Both track SPY, so what separates them is where each is in its own period.

Client brief:

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About each fund
SIXJ

From its price on Nov 4, 2026, the fund can gain about 5.0% more before it reaches its cap. The fund's price can fall 3.0% 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: 10.0% of the 10.0% 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.

XDEC

SPY had already risen past this fund's cap of +10.1% 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 0.9% as the period runs out. The fund's price can fall 8.4% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, SPY can fall 11.2% 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. 44 days remained on Nov 4, 2026. On Dec 18, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.

Questions people ask

Which has more room to gain, SIXJ or XDEC?
From their prices on Nov 4, 2026, SIXJ can gain about 5.0% before its cap and XDEC about 0.9%, so SIXJ has more room left this period.
Which resets first, SIXJ or XDEC?
SIXJ ends its outcome period on Dec 31, 2026 and XDEC on Dec 18, 2026. A new cap is set the day after each.
Which is cheaper, SIXJ or XDEC?
SIXJ charges 0.74% a year and XDEC charges 0.85%, so SIXJ is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
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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.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, SIXJ against XDEC, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/buffer/sixj-vs-xdec

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