Macro Summary
The Buffer ETF Channel continues to see activity, currently overseeing $79.7B in total Assets Under Management (AUM) across 457 distinct ETFs from 20 different issuers. For the past week, the space gathered net inflows of $61M, bringing the year-to-date total to $13.87B.
Over the past year, the channel has attracted $14.31B in total flows. The momentum in product development remains robust, with 30 new ETFs launched in the last three months alone, signaling continued issuer commitment to expanding defined outcome strategies.
Performance
Performance within the Buffer ETF universe remains idiosyncratic, driven largely by the underlying reference assets. For the week, Funds tracking Commodity: Focused – Precious Metals led the way with returns of 3.43%, while Digital Asset: Cryptocurrency – Bitcoin strategies lagged, posting returns of -2.44%.
Explore the data behind the insights. This weekly recap is just the start. Access the complete, in-depth reports for FREE in the right side panel to analyze performance, track flows, and view the latest league tables.
Flows
Equity Buffer ETFs remained the dominant asset class this week, pulling in $51M. In terms of implementation, the December outcome period was the most active, attracting $169M. The top individual flow leader was the UDEC fund, which gathered $64M.
Flows by Asset Class
| Asset Class | # of Funds | AUM | WTD Flow | 1M Flow | 3M Flow | YTD Flow | 1Y Flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffer – Commodity | 1 | $69M | $0 | $11M | ($1M) | ($2M) | ($2M) |
| Buffer – Crypto | 19 | $203M | $10M | $19M | $48M | $186M | $186M |
| Buffer – Equity | 417 | $78.85B | $51M | $1.28B | $3.69B | $13.48B | $13.93B |
| Buffer – Fixed Income | 2 | $33M | $0 | ($1M) | ($15M) | ($17M) | ($20M) |
| Buffer Synthetic Income | 18 | $575M | $0 | $14M | $56M | $223M | $221M |
Flows by Implementation (Outcome Period)
| Implementation | WTD Flow | 1M Flow | 3M Flow | YTD Flow | 1Y Flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflows | |||||
| Buffer Reset: December | $169M | $424M | ($94M) | $43M | $659M |
| Buffer Reset: Laddered | $75M | $333M | $891M | $3.02B | $3.13B |
| Buffer Reset: October | $33M | $96M | $1.80B | $1.09B | $1.16B |
| Outflows | |||||
| Buffer Reset: July | ($125M) | ($171M) | ($494M) | $547M | $451M |
| Buffer Reset: Quarterly | ($96M) | $329M | $899M | $2.73B | $2.66B |
| Buffer Reset: September | ($16M) | ($14M) | $538M | $1.15B | $1.15B |
Individual Fund Flows (WTD)
| Ticker | Fund Name | WTD Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Top 5 Inflows | ||
| UDEC | Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF – December | $64M |
| PDEC | Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF – December | $50M |
| BUFR | FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF | $42M |
| BDEC | Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF – December | $32M |
| DDFD | Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF – December | $10M |
| Top 5 Outflows | ||
| BALT | Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF | ($121M) |
| UJUL | Innovator U.S. Equity Ultra Buffer ETF – July | ($60M) |
| PJUL | Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF – July | ($32M) |
| BJUL | Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF – July | ($29M) |
| GSEP | FT Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September | ($14M) |
League Tables
FT Vest maintains its lead as the top issuer by AUM with $38.91B, capturing $67M in flows this week. Innovator follows with $29.60B in assets but experienced net outflows of $68M for the week.
Top 5 Issuers by AUM
| Issuer | # of ETFs | AUM | Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FT Vest | 115 | $38.91B | 48.80% |
| Innovator | 154 | $29.60B | 37.12% |
| Allianz | 49 | $4.89B | 6.13% |
| AB Funds | 3 | $1.33B | 1.67% |
| Pacer | 13 | $1.23B | 1.54% |
Issuer Flows (WTD)
| Issuer | WTD Flow | 1M Flow | 3M Flow | YTD Flow | 1Y Flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflows | |||||
| FT Vest | $67M | $581M | $1.48B | $5.20B | $5.54B |
| Calamos | $13M | $30M | $20M | $290M | $300M |
| PGIM | $11M | $49M | $180M | $410M | $450M |
| Outflows | |||||
| Innovator | ($68M) | $481M | $1.30B | $5.24B | $5.29B |
| TrueShares | ($2M) | $20M | $60M | $240M | $250M |
| ARK | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Explore the data behind the insights. This weekly recap is just the start. Access the complete, in-depth reports for FREE in the right side panel to analyze performance, track flows, and view the latest league tables.
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.
