Macro Summary
The Buffer ETF channel, composed of 430 ETFs from 16 issuers, currently holds a total of $74.58 billion in assets under management. Over the past week, the channel saw net inflows of $214 million, contributing to a year-to-date total of $10.29 billion in net new assets.
Investor interest has remained robust over the longer term, with the channel attracting $13.94 billion in total flows over the past year. This sustained growth is accompanied by continued product innovation, evidenced by the launch of 14 new ETFs in the last three months alone.
Performance
Buffer ETF performance is idiosyncratic, driven by the returns of the underlying assets they track. This past week highlighted this divergence clearly. The strongest returns were seen in ETFs tracking Precious Metals, where the underlying asset class posted a Week-to-Date (WTD) return of 3.95%. In contrast, the weakest performance was linked to Bitcoin, which saw its underlying category decline by 5.14% WTD.
This data underscores the importance of looking beyond the buffer mechanism to the specific market exposure each ETF provides. For a detailed breakdown of how individual Buffer ETFs performed against their specific beta trackers, please refer to the full, free performance report available in the right-side panel.
Flows
Flows by Asset Class
| Asset Class | # of Funds | AUM | WTD Flow | 1M Flow | 3M Flow | YTD Flow | 1Y Flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffer – Commodity | 1 | $67M | $0M | ($15M) | ($14M) | ($1M) | $22M |
| Buffer – Crypto | 12 | $173M | $1M | $0M | $16M | $139M | $139M |
| Buffer – Equity | 394 | $73,752M | $210M | $547M | $2,202M | $9,993M | $13,753M |
| Buffer – Fixed Income | 2 | $49M | $0M | $0M | $7M | ($2M) | ($111M) |
| Buffer Synthetic Income | 21 | $541M | $3M | $26M | $101M | $158M | $134M |
Flows by Implementation (Outcome Period)
| Implementation | WTD Flow | 1M Flow | 3M Flow | YTD Flow | 1Y Flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflows | |||||
| Buffer Reset: September | $319M | $1,453M | $1,307M | $933M | $1,165M |
| Buffer Reset: August | $82M | $180M | $879M | $365M | $148M |
| Buffer Reset: July | $81M | $223M | $1,582M | $1,121M | $637M |
| Outflows | |||||
| Buffer Reset: May | ($74M) | ($115M) | ($137M) | $288M | $165M |
| Buffer Reset: November | ($101M) | ($170M) | ($269M) | ($498M) | $473M |
| Buffer Reset: October | ($108M) | ($288M) | ($770M) | ($834M) | $1,071M |
Individual Fund Flows (WTD)
| Ticker | Fund Name | WTD Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Top 5 Inflows | ||
| GSEP | FT Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September | $154M |
| FAUG | FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF – August | $83M |
| FJUL | FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF – July | $76M |
| BUFR | FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF | $62M |
| FSEP | FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF – September | $49M |
| Top 5 Outflows | ||
| FNOV | FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF – November | ($74M) |
| FOCT | FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF – October | ($71M) |
| FMAY | FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer Fund – May | ($69M) |
| XSEP | FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF – September | ($28M) |
| XOCT | FT Vest U.S. Equity Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF – October | ($21M) |
League Tables
Top 5 Issuers by AUM
| Issuer | # of ETFs | AUM | Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FT Vest | 112 | $36.77B | 49.31% |
| Innovator | 150 | $27.78B | 37.25% |
| Allianz | 49 | $4.70B | 6.30% |
| AB Funds | 3 | $1.24B | 1.66% |
| Pacer | 13 | $1.15B | 1.54% |
Issuer Flows (WTD)
| Issuer | WTD Flow | 1M Flow | 3M Flow | YTD Flow | 1Y Flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflows | |||||
| FT Vest | $221M | $344M | $1.01B | $3.92B | $5.74B |
| AB Funds | $10M | -$43M | $0.08B | $0.46B | $0.52B |
| PGIM | $6M | $29M | $0.07B | $0.23B | $0.32B |
| Outflows | |||||
| Allianz | -$22M | $64M | $0.16B | $0.75B | $0.99B |
| Innovator | -$8M | $139M | $0.92B | $3.91B | $4.99B |
| ProShares | $0M | -$7M | $0.00B | $0.00B | $0.00B |
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.
