# Buffer ETFs with the most protection left

> AOCT leads buffer ETFs with the most protection left at 100.0% (protection left, current outcome period), as of Oct 21, 2026.

Data as of Oct 21, 2026. Rebuilt every trading night.

As of Oct 21, 2026 . Rebuilt every trading night.

## Buffer ETFs with the most protection left

See 15 funds ranked by buffer still below the index level, in index points, current outcome period. Updated Oct 21, 2026. Protection left is not the same as safety. It is how much of the stated buffer has not yet been used. 62 of the 431 buffer ETFs are level at 100.0%, so protection left alone does not order them. Level funds are ordered by days left in the period, most first, then by net assets.

| # | Ticker | Fund | Protection left | Buffer | Index return since period start | Period ends |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | AOCT | Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - Oct 2028 | 100.0% | 100% | +1.4% | Sep 30, 2028 |
| 2 | AJUL | Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - Jul 2028 | 100.0% | 100% | +3.6% | Jun 30, 2028 |
| 3 | AAPR | Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - Apr 2028 | 100.0% | 100% | +18.9% | Mar 31, 2028 |
| 4 | AJAN | Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - Jan 2028 | 100.0% | 100% | +13.4% | Dec 31, 2027 |
| 5 | CBOO | Calamos Bitcoin Structured Alt Protection ETF - October | 100.0% | 100% | +0.9% | Oct 29, 2027 |
| 6 | OCTM | FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - October | 100.0% | 100% | +1.3% | Oct 15, 2027 |
| 7 | ZOCT | Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr October | 100.0% | 100% | +1.4% | Sep 30, 2027 |
| 8 | CPSO | Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - October | 100.0% | 100% | +1.2% | Sep 30, 2027 |
| 9 | TOCT | Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - Oct 2027 | 100.0% | 100% | +16.1% | Sep 30, 2027 |
| 10 | PMOC | PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - October | 100.0% | 100% | +1.4% | Sep 30, 2027 |
| 11 | ZSEP | Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF - 1 Yr September | 100.0% | 100% | +0.8% | Aug 31, 2027 |
| 12 | CPST | Calamos S&P 500 Structured Alt Protection ETF - September | 100.0% | 100% | +1.5% | Aug 31, 2027 |
| 13 | CPNS | Calamos Nasdaq-100 Structured Alt Protection ETF - September | 100.0% | 100% | +2.5% | Aug 31, 2027 |
| 14 | PMSE | PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF - September | 100.0% | 100% | +0.8% | Aug 31, 2027 |
| 15 | AUGM | FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - August | 100.0% | 100% | +1.0% | Aug 20, 2027 |

### Method

ETFIQ calculation on one definition for every issuer: the part of the buffer that still sits below today's index level. The list sorts one published figure, with no scoring or weighting. Every fund ETFIQ covers in this category is eligible, closed funds included.

### Where to next

### Where these figures came from

ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure; a link is not an endorsement.

A ranking is not a recommendation or an opinion. ETFIQ is an independent publisher, not an adviser. Standards and sources

---

Source: ETFIQ, independent ETF data. Recomputed nightly from public filings and prices.
Cite: ETFIQ, Buffer ETFs with the most protection left, ranked by buffer still below the index level, in index points, data as of Oct 21, 2026. https://etfiq.com/rankings/buffer-most-protection-left
Licence: https://etfiq.com/license/ Figures ETFIQ computes are free to use with attribution: ETFIQ (etfiq.com). Issuer data stays under its owner's terms.
HTML: https://etfiq.com/rankings/buffer-most-protection-left