BUFZFT Vest Laddered Moderate Buffer ETF

Grow my money2y track recordRanked #1,395 of 2,998 in this goal

Seeks to provide investors with capital appreciation.

By First Trust · Launched 2023

Annual Cost

0.95%

#4,882 of 5,861 · expensive

Fund Size

$985M

#1,143 of 5,861 · large

Return (1Y)Goal

+13.1%

Track Record

2 years

#3,177 of 5,861 · seasoned

Performance

Total-return NAV · USD

Growth of $10,000

$11,227+12.3%

Total-return NAV, USD. Net of fund fees, before tax.

What's inside

How Beacon categorizes this fund

Asset class

Region

Strategy

Structured outcome

Index tracked

S&P 500 Index

What it actually holds

By weight

Concentration

Top 10 holdings = 83.3% of fundconcentrated

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII

8.4%

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII

8.3%

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII

8.3%

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII

8.3%

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII

8.3%

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII

8.3%

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII

8.3%

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII

8.3%

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII

8.3%

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII

8.3%

Asset allocation

Stocks

99.0%

Cash

1.1%

Risk profile

Last 12 months · Sharpe & Sortino need 3+ years

Volatility (1Y)

5.3%Low

Year-on-year price swings

Max drawdown

-10.1%Mild

Worst peak-to-trough loss

Sharpe (3Y)

Unavailable

Needs 3+ years of history

Sortino (3Y)

Not yet

Needs 3+ years of history

Listing

Exchange: Cboe BZX

Full fund details

Objective: Seeks to provide investors with capital appreciation.
Strategy: Invests in a laddered portfolio of twelve FT Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETFs to provide US large-cap equity market exposure while attempting to limit downside risk. The laddered approach allows the Fund to benefit from increases in the value of SPY while providing downside protection through the Underlying ETFs.
Inception date: October 25, 2023
Fund family: First Trust

Similar funds

Same asset class, closest by strategy & exposure

BUFR

FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF

TER 0.95%3Y +13.4%$9.9B

BUFX

FT Vest Laddered Enhance & Moderate Buffer ETF

TER 0.96%3Y N/A$14M

BUFY

FT Vest Laddered International Moderate Buffer ETF

TER 1.00%3Y N/A$136M

Our take

Structural notes on how this fund behaves. Read our guide on the 6 warning signs.

Buffer

Warning

You can build this cheaper yourself

Defined-outcome funds cap your gains (often 8% to 20%) in exchange for cushioning losses by 9% to 30%, priced with options. The fee runs about 0.70% or more, against 0.03% to 0.10% for a plain index fund. For most investors, a simple stock-and-bond mix gives similar protection for far less.

Sources: Morningstar, 'Buffer Funds Are on the Rise, but They May Not Make Sense for Most Investors' (2025)

Educational analysis of structural product characteristics. Not investment advice. Always read the fund prospectus and consult a qualified advisor before investing. More

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Data updated on 2026-08-05