# What is a buffer ETF outcome period?

> As of Nov 4, 2026, 443 buffer ETFs run an annual outcome period and 49 run a quarterly one, and 30 reset soon. Updated every trading night.

Data as of Nov 4, 2026. Rebuilt every trading night.

## What is a buffer ETF outcome period?

Data as of Nov 4, 2026. Rebuilt every trading night.

As of Nov 4, 2026, 443 buffer ETFs run an annual outcome period and 49 run a quarterly one, and 30 reset soon.

### In plain words

An outcome period is the span over which a buffer ETF’s protection and cap apply, usually a year, sometimes a quarter or month. When it ends, the fund resets with a new cap and buffer.

The protection only works if you own the fund for the whole period. Joining midway changes the cap left and buffer left, which ETFIQ shows as of today. 443 funds are annual and 49 quarterly, and 30 reset soon. The 30 ladders combine several funds with staggered starts, so a reset comes every few weeks.

### Questions

What happens at the end of the period? The fund resets with a new cap and a new buffer based on the new start.

What if I join in the middle? The protection you get depends on the price and the time left. The fund page shows both.

What is a ladder? Several funds with different start dates, so a reset is always near.

### Where to next

---

Source: ETFIQ, independent ETF data. Recomputed nightly from public filings and prices.
Cite: ETFIQ, What is a buffer ETF outcome period?, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/learn/what-is-a-buffer-etf-outcome-period
Licence: https://etfiq.com/license/ Data ETFIQ computes is free to use with attribution: ETFIQ (etfiq.com). Issuer data stays under its owner's terms.
HTML: https://etfiq.com/learn/what-is-a-buffer-etf-outcome-period