FDEC ETF — FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - December

FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - December (FDEC)

Updated October 16, 2026.

FDEC is an ETF that tracks the S&P 500 (via SPY). its expense ratio is 0.85%. Total return is 85.7% over the past 5.8 years, 38.3 points behind SPY at 124.0%.

FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - December is an ETF that uses customized exchange-traded options on the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust to provide upside participation in the S&P 500 capped at a predetermined level, paired with a buffer against the first 10% of portfolio losses, within each calendar-year outcome period. The fund does not distribute income and carries an expense ratio of 0.85%. It appeals to equity investors seeking downside protection alongside limited upside exposure rather than traditional buy-and-hold S&P 500 investing.

FDEC performance versus SPY

Price and return data through 2026-10-16.

Total return is 85.7% over the past 5.8 years, 38.3 points behind SPY at 124.0%. Over the past year its total return — price change plus distributions reinvested — is 14.6%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 5.8%.

FDEC key facts

Issuer

First Trust

Asset type

ETF

Asset class

Equity

Inception date

12/19/2019

Expense ratio

0.85%

Distribution frequency

None

Last close

$56.13 (as of 2026-10-16)

AUM

$1,342,471,636

Average volume

156635.0

Beta

0.63

How Dividend Vision calculates yield and returns

Distribution rate (the posted rate) uses calculation basis unavailable. Issuer rates can use a different denominator and date, including ex-date NAV. Trailing-12-month yield is the sum of split-adjusted cash distributions with ex-dates in the last 12 months, divided by the published price. It lags a recent raise or cut. Total return uses split-adjusted close with distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date) from the first stored bar on or after inception through the latest bar, compared with the same window on the benchmark. That is the security's total return, not your personal gain/loss.

Yield and safety methodology · Distribution rate methodology · Distribution Safety Score methodology

Sources and review

Primary sources: First Trust or company page; Index: S&P 500 (via SPY); prices and distributions from Dividend Vision, derived from vendor EOD data.

Reviewed by Bert Sweet, CEO and Co-owner of Dividend Vision. Methodology: Distribution Safety Score.

FDEC risks and drawbacks

Total return has trailed SPY over the available window. The deepest 1-year drawdown on record here is 5.8%.

Who may consider FDEC — and who may not

It is a weaker fit for investors who need monthly cash flow (FDEC does not currently distribute); investors whose main goal is matching SPY total return. This is educational context, not a recommendation to buy or sell.

More on FDEC

• All tickers starting with F

Tagged: Downside Protection, Hedged, Options, S&P500.

Frequently asked questions

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