Macro Summary
The Buffer ETF channel now encompasses 427 ETFs from 18 issuers, with total assets under management (AUM) standing at $75.93 billion. The category saw net inflows of $436 million over the past week, bringing the year-to-date total to a robust $10.99 billion.
Over the last twelve months, the channel has attracted significant investor interest, accumulating total flows of $14.11 billion. The trend of expansion continues, highlighted by the launch of 11 new ETFs in the last three months alone, indicating sustained innovation and demand within the space.
Performance
Performance across the Buffer ETF landscape remains idiosyncratic, heavily influenced by the returns of the underlying securities they track. This past week, the strongest performance was seen in ETFs tracking Precious Metals, which returned 1.67%, and Long-Term Government Fixed Income, which returned 1.24%. In contrast, the weakest performance came from ETFs linked to Bitcoin, which saw a decline of -4.90%.
Since each Buffer ETF’s return profile is unique, we encourage you to analyze how your specific holdings performed against their beta trackers. For a complete breakdown, access the full, free performance report available in the right-side panel.
Flows
Equity-linked products continue to dominate the Buffer ETF space, capturing $456 million in weekly inflows. This trend was particularly evident in funds with an October outcome period, which attracted $289 million as investors positioned for the upcoming reset. The Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF – October (POCT) was a standout, leading all individual funds with $118 million in new assets.
Flows by Asset Class
| Asset Class | # of Funds | AUM | WTD Flow | 1M Flow | 3M Flow | YTD Flow | 1Y Flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity | 394 | $75,121M | $456M | $874M | $2,110M | $10,687M | $13,812M |
| Crypto | 12 | $183M | $4M | ($1M) | ($11M) | $141M | $141M |
| Synthetic Income | 18 | $535M | $0M | $29M | $103M | $184M | $191M |
| Commodity | 1 | $58M | ($11M) | ($14M) | ($27M) | ($11M) | $11M |
| Fixed Income | 2 | $36M | ($13M) | ($13M) | ($2M) | ($15M) | ($49M) |
Flows by Implementation (Outcome Period)
| Implementation | WTD Flow | 1M Flow | 3M Flow | YTD Flow | 1Y Flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflows | |||||
| Buffer Reset: October | $289M | $195M | ($76M) | ($171M) | $1,045M |
| Buffer Reset: Quarterly | $124M | $390M | $626M | $2,145M | $2,628M |
| Buffer Reset: September | $56M | $748M | $1,383M | $964M | $910M |
| Outflows | |||||
| Buffer Reset: February | ($16M) | ($138M) | ($290M) | $1,127M | $811M |
| Buffer Reset: January | ($21M) | ($102M) | ($637M) | $1,125M | $758M |
| Buffer Reset: August | ($27M) | $81M | $899M | $332M | $162M |
Individual Fund Flows (WTD)
| Ticker | Fund Name | WTD Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Top 5 Inflows | ||
| POCT | Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF – October | $118M |
| SFLR | Innovator Equity Managed Floor ETF | $70M |
| OCTW | AllianzIM U.S. Large Cap Buffer20 Oct ETF | $46M |
| BUFR | FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF | $37M |
| BOCT | Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF – October | $33M |
| Top 5 Outflows | ||
| SIXJ | AllianzIM U.S. Large Cap 6 Month Buffer10 Jan/Jul ETF | ($21M) |
| BUFF | Innovator Laddered Allocation Power Buffer ETF | ($20M) |
| TFJL | Innovator 20+ Year Treasury Bond 5 Floor ETF – July | ($12M) |
| BDEC | Innovator U.S. Equity Buffer ETF – December | ($11M) |
| BGLD | FT Vest Gold Strategy Quarterly Buffer ETF | ($11M) |
League Tables
The competitive landscape is dominated by two primary issuers, FT Vest and Innovator, who together account for over 86% of the channel’s AUM. While FT Vest maintains the lead in total assets with $37.37 billion, Innovator has been more successful in attracting new capital recently, leading weekly flows with $324 million compared to FT Vest’s $106 million.
Top 5 Issuers by AUM
| Issuer | # of ETFs | AUM | Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FT Vest | 113 | $37.37B | 49.14% |
| Innovator | 149 | $28.39B | 37.32% |
| Allianz | 49 | $4.84B | 6.36% |
| AB Funds | 3 | $1.25B | 1.64% |
| Pacer | 13 | $1.18B | 1.55% |
Issuer Flows (WTD)
| Issuer | WTD Flow | 1M Flow | 3M Flow | YTD Flow | 1Y Flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflows | |||||
| Innovator | $324M | $530M | $0.79B | $4.32B | $5.27B |
| FT Vest | $106M | $531M | $1.15B | $4.15B | $5.79B |
| Allianz | $43M | -$194M | $0.24B | $0.84B | $1.04B |
| Outflows | |||||
| ProShares | $0M | -$4M | $0.00B | $0.00B | $0.00B |
| TrueShares | $4M | -$5M | $0.06B | $0.17B | $0.19B |
| Calamos | $4M | -$3M | $0.00B | $0.27B | $0.37B |
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.
