Weekly Channel Summary
The Buffer ETF channel, encompassing 539 funds from 21 issuers, holds a total of $99.06 billion in assets under management. Investors added a net $466 million to the category over the past week, contributing to strong year-to-date inflows of $12.38 billion. Over the last twelve months, the channel has attracted a total of $16.47 billion in new assets.
This Week’s Performance Leaders and Laggards
Performance across the Buffer channel was broadly negative this week amid wider market declines. Equity-based strategies, which constitute the vast majority of the category, were the best relative performers with a modest loss of 0.30%. On the other end of the spectrum, Fixed Income buffer funds fell by 1.04% for the week. Year-to-date, Equity funds remain positive with a 7.94% gain, while Crypto strategies have struggled, posting a 6.70% loss.
Analyzing the Weekly Flows
Buffer ETFs attracted a net $466 million in new capital this week, with nearly all flows directed towards equity-based products. Strategies with a September outcome period were the primary beneficiaries, gathering $276 million as investors positioned for the new monthly reset. Laddered strategies also saw continued demand, pulling in $99 million. Conversely, funds with October and December reset dates experienced the largest collective outflows for the week.
Flows by Asset Class
| Asset Class | Fund Count | AUM | 5 Day | 30 Day | 90 Day | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity | 516 | $98.84B | $468M | $1,724M | $5,016M | $12,432M | $16,486M |
| Fixed Income | 2 | $13M | $0M | -$5M | -$12M | -$19M | -$35M |
| Commodity | 1 | $54M | $0M | $3M | $5M | $2M | $6M |
| Crypto | 20 | $157M | -$2M | -$15M | -$28M | -$37M | $10M |
Flows by Outcome Period / Strategy
| Outcome Period / Strategy | Fund Count | AUM | 5 Day | 30 Day | 90 Day | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffer Reset: September | 30 | $5.80B | $276M | $697M | $587M | -$56M | $689M |
| Buffer Reset: Laddered | 29 | $18.73B | $99M | $472M | $1,496M | $3,624M | $4,724M |
| Buffer Reset: Quarterly | 42 | $9.22B | $46M | $176M | $794M | $2,159M | $3,160M |
| Buffer Reset: August | 35 | $4.80B | $38M | $663M | $824M | $341M | $333M |
| Buffer Reset: July | 54 | $7.06B | $22M | $216M | $1,305M | $618M | $119M |
| Buffer Reset: June | 40 | $6.44B | $5M | -$136M | $859M | $2,017M | $1,728M |
| Buffer Reset: November | 26 | $4.08B | $4M | -$46M | -$269M | -$424M | $720M |
| Buffer Reset: Semi-Annually | 10 | $1.20B | $4M | $10M | $35M | $32M | -$94M |
| Buffer Reset: February | 25 | $4.90B | $3M | -$24M | -$55M | $1,027M | $556M |
| Buffer Reset: January | 44 | $7.01B | $3M | -$43M | -$309M | $1,137M | $818M |
| Buffer Reset: Dynamic | 1 | $40M | $0M | $1M | $2M | -$3M | -$1M |
| Buffer Reset: Daily | 4 | $10M | -$0M | $1M | $2M | $5M | -$1M |
| Buffer Reset: April | 45 | $5.67B | -$1M | $25M | $167M | $702M | $540M |
| Buffer Reset: May | 34 | $4.99B | -$1M | -$67M | $117M | $1,830M | $1,692M |
| Buffer Reset: March | 31 | $5.04B | -$7M | -$113M | -$106M | $472M | $334M |
| Buffer Reset: Dynamic | 11 | $2.35B | -$8M | $15M | $165M | $384M | $627M |
| Buffer Reset: December | 34 | $6.18B | -$8M | -$81M | -$370M | -$384M | -$81M |
| Buffer Reset: October | 44 | $5.53B | -$9M | -$59M | -$263M | -$1,102M | $605M |
Top & Bottom 5 ETFs by 5-Day Flow
The Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF – September (BSEP) was the standout leader, attracting $151 million in new assets. Its counterpart, the Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF – September (PSEP), also saw significant interest with $68 million in inflows. On the other side of the ledger, AB Conservative Buffer ETF (BUFC) and MRP SynthEquity ETF (SNTH) led redemptions, shedding $9 million and $8 million, respectively.
| Ticker | Fund Name | 5-Day Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Inflows | ||
| BSEP | Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF – September | $151M |
| PSEP | Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF – September | $68M |
| BUFR | FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF | $64M |
| BALT | Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF | $30M |
| ZSEP | Innovator Equity Defined Protection ETF – 1 Yr September | $17M |
| Outflows | ||
| BUFC | AB Conservative Buffer ETF | -$9M |
| SNTH | MRP SynthEquity ETF | -$8M |
| PDEC | Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF – December | -$7M |
| DLMY | FT Vest U.S. Equity Dual Directional Buffer ETF – May | -$6M |
| DDFN | Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF – November | -$6M |
Issuer League Table Update
The Buffer ETF market remains dominated by two primary issuers, with FT Vest controlling a 48.8% market share and Innovator holding 36.6%. This week, Innovator led all issuers in asset gathering, pulling in a net $285 million. FT Vest also had a strong week, attracting $168 million in new capital. AB Funds experienced the largest net outflows among issuers, with redemptions totaling $9 million.
Top 5 Issuers by AUM
| Issuer | Fund Count | AUM | AUM Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FT Vest | 122 | $48.32B | 48.77% |
| Innovator | 162 | $36.25B | 36.59% |
| Allianz | 59 | $5.96B | 6.02% |
| PGIM | 47 | $1.76B | 1.78% |
| AB Funds | 3 | $1.65B | 1.67% |
Top & Bottom 3 Issuers by 5-Day Flow
| Issuer | 5-Day Flow |
|---|---|
| Inflows | |
| Innovator | $285M |
| FT Vest | $168M |
| Allianz | $9M |
| Outflows | |
| AB Funds | -$9M |
| Measured Risk Portfolios | -$8M |
| ProShares | $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.
