Weekly Channel Summary
The Buffer ETF channel encompasses 537 products from 20 issuers, with total assets under management standing at $98.06 billion. This week, the channel attracted net inflows of $181 million, continuing a positive trend for the category. On a longer-term basis, investors have allocated a significant $10.78 billion year-to-date and $14.51 billion over the past year.
This Week’s Performance Leaders and Laggards
Equity-based buffer strategies posted a modest gain of 0.31% for the week, leading performance across the channel’s asset classes. In contrast, Crypto buffer funds experienced the largest decline, falling by 0.88%, while Fixed Income strategies also ended the week in the red with a 0.65% loss. This weekly performance is consistent with longer-term trends, as Equity buffer funds are up 8.13% year-to-date while Crypto funds have declined by 11.23% over the same period.
Analyzing the Weekly Flows
Investors added a net $181 million to the Buffer ETF channel this week, with nearly all new assets directed towards Equity strategies, which collected $182 million. Fixed Income funds saw minor outflows of $2 million, while Crypto and Commodity funds recorded negligible net changes. Among different outcome periods, funds with a July reset date led the way, attracting $105 million in new capital. Conversely, funds resetting in October experienced the largest redemptions for the week, shedding $32 million.
Flows by Asset Class
| Asset Class | Fund Count | AUM | 5 Day | 30 Day | 90 Day | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity | 514 | $97.82B | $182M | $1,579M | $3,557M | $10,817M | $14,538M |
| Commodity | 1 | $53M | $1M | $1M | $4M | $0M | -$9M |
| Crypto | 20 | $162M | $0M | -$12M | -$20M | -$22M | $27M |
| Fixed Income | 2 | $15M | -$2M | -$3M | -$14M | -$17M | -$43M |
Flows by Outcome Period / Strategy
| Outcome Period / Strategy | Fund Count | AUM | 5 Day | 30 Day | 90 Day | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffer Reset: July | 53 | $6.97B | $105M | $743M | $1,096M | $454M | $71M |
| Buffer Reset: August | 35 | $4.23B | $82M | $300M | $93M | -$257M | -$1,090M |
| Buffer Reset: June | 40 | $6.68B | $46M | $207M | $2,243M | $2,177M | $1,838M |
| Buffer Reset: Quarterly | 41 | $9.15B | $20M | $252M | $1,003M | $2,004M | $3,250M |
| Buffer Reset: Laddered | 29 | $18.35B | $15M | $436M | $1,311M | $3,131M | $4,454M |
| Buffer Reset: March | 31 | $5.18B | $12M | $28M | -$63M | $597M | $393M |
| Buffer Reset: April | 45 | $5.67B | $10M | $37M | $190M | $683M | $397M |
| Buffer Reset: Semi-Annually | 10 | $1.20B | $6M | $27M | $52M | $26M | $36M |
| Buffer Reset: Daily | 4 | $9M | $0M | $0M | $1M | $4M | -$15M |
| Buffer Reset: Dynamic | 11 | $2.37B | $0M | $20M | $196M | $373M | $653M |
| Buffer Reset: Dynamic | 1 | $39M | $0M | $1M | -$6M | -$3M | -$2M |
| Buffer Reset: May | 34 | $5.11B | -$1M | $3M | -$540M | $1,901M | $1,745M |
| Buffer Reset: November | 26 | $4.14B | -$8M | -$121M | -$400M | -$382M | $689M |
| Buffer Reset: January | 44 | $7.07B | -$13M | -$147M | -$324M | $1,172M | $417M |
| Buffer Reset: December | 34 | $6.28B | -$16M | -$96M | -$350M | -$311M | -$224M |
| Buffer Reset: September | 30 | $5.10B | -$20M | -$51M | -$375M | -$765M | $817M |
| Buffer Reset: February | 25 | $4.92B | -$24M | -$21M | -$63M | $1,030M | $463M |
| Buffer Reset: October | 44 | $5.58B | -$32M | -$53M | -$537M | -$1,052M | $620M |
Top & Bottom 5 ETFs by 5-Day Flow
The Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF – August (PAUG) was the week’s most popular fund, gathering $35 million in net new assets. On the other side of the ledger, the FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF (BUFR) experienced the largest redemption, with investors pulling $49 million. Another FT Vest product, the U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF – February (DFEB), also saw significant outflows totaling $22 million for the week.
| Ticker | Fund Name | 5-Day Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Inflows | ||
| PAUG | Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF – August | $35M |
| QJUN | FT Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF – June | $32M |
| FJUL | FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF – July | $23M |
| DJUL | FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF – July | $22M |
| BALT | Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF | $16M |
| Outflows | ||
| BUFR | FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF | -$49M |
| DFEB | FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF – February | -$22M |
| UJAN | Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF – January | -$16M |
| FOCT | FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF – October | -$12M |
| PSEP | Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF – September | -$12M |
Issuer League Table Update
FT Vest and Innovator continue to dominate the Buffer ETF landscape, commanding 48.84% and 36.56% of the market share, respectively. This week, FT Vest also led in asset gathering, attracting $78 million in net inflows across its fund lineup. Innovator followed with a respectable $54 million in new assets, while BufferLABS was the only issuer to see notable outflows, with redemptions totaling $7 million.
Top 5 Issuers by AUM
| Issuer | Fund Count | AUM | AUM Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FT Vest | 121 | $47.89B | 48.84% |
| Innovator | 162 | $35.85B | 36.56% |
| Allianz | 59 | $5.94B | 6.06% |
| PGIM | 47 | $1.67B | 1.70% |
| AB Funds | 3 | $1.66B | 1.70% |
Top & Bottom 3 Issuers by 5-Day Flow
| Issuer | 5-Day Flow |
|---|---|
| Inflows | |
| FT Vest | $78M |
| Innovator | $54M |
| PGIM | $18M |
| Outflows | |
| BufferLABS | -$7M |
| KraneShares | -$0M |
| First Trust | $0M |
For a deeper dive into these trends, access our FREE, in-depth Buffer ETF reports in the right side panel of this page.
Disclosures
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. All investments, including ETFs, involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. Investors should consider their investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing.
This analysis was developed by the team at ETF Action. We leverage advanced AI tools to assist in the drafting and refinement of our content, based on our expert prompts, direction, and final review.
