SQMXFT Vest U.S. Equity Quarterly Max Buffer ETF
Seeks to provide returns that match the price return of the Underlying ETF up to a predetermined upside cap while providing a buffer against losses.
By First Trust · Launched 2024
0.85%
#4,514 of 5,861 · expensive
$48M
#3,685 of 5,861 · mid-size
0.00%
1 year
#3,946 of 5,861 · young
Performance
Total-return NAV · USDTotal-return NAV, USD. Net of fund fees, before tax.
What's inside
How Beacon categorizes this fundWhat it actually holds
By weightConcentration
Top 7 holdings = 100.1% of fundconcentrated
Asset allocation
Risk profile
Last 12 months · Sharpe & Sortino need 3+ yearsYear-on-year price swings
Worst peak-to-trough loss
Needs 3+ years of history
Needs 3+ years of history
Listing
- Exchange
- Cboe BZX
Full fund details
- Objective
- Seeks to provide returns that match the price return of the Underlying ETF up to a predetermined upside cap while providing a buffer against losses.
- Strategy
- Employs a target outcome strategy using FLEX Options to provide a buffer against losses of the Underlying ETF while setting a predetermined upside cap of at least 3%. Seeks to provide the maximum available buffer against losses, currently set at 12.62%.
- Inception date
- December 19, 2024
- Fund family
- First Trust
Similar funds
Same asset class, closest by strategy & exposureOur take
Structural notes on how this fund behaves. Read our guide on the 6 warning signs.
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 2026-08-04