# FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - December (DDEC): ETF Facts & Distributions > Markdown mirror of https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/ddec for AI agents. Same live data as the HTML page, regenerated on the same refresh cycle. Not investment advice. - Issuer: First Trust · Asset class: Multi-Asset - Strategy: Buffered · Inception: 2020-12-18 The FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - December (DDEC) aims to provide investors with returns that mirror the price performance of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (the benchmark ETF), up to a maximum gain of 11.96%. Concurrently, it offers protection against losses in the benchmark ETF, buffering declines that occur within the range of 5% to 30%. These performance targets, including the upside cap and downside buffer, are calculated before accounting for any fees and expenses. This investment strategy applies specifically to the period spanning from December 22, 2025, through December 18, 2026. ## Key Facts | Metric | Value | |---|---| | Price | $48.69 | | Expense Ratio | 0.85% | | Assets Under Management | $433.1M | | NAV | $48.66 | | Holdings Count | 4 | | Distribution Yield (TTM) | — | | Annual Distribution (TTM) | — /share | | Distribution Frequency | — | | 52-Week Range | $43.48 – $49.06 | | Beta | 0.48 | ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What does DDEC invest in? The FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - December (DDEC) aims to provide investors with returns that mirror the price performance of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (the benchmark ETF), up to a maximum gain of 11.96%. Concurrently, it offers protection against losses in the benchmark ETF, buffering declines that occur within the range of 5% to 30%. These performance targets, including the upside cap and downside buffer, are calculated before accounting for any fees and expenses. This investment strategy applies specifically to the period spanning from December 22, 2025, through December 18, 2026. ### What is the expense ratio of DDEC? FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - December (DDEC) charges an expense ratio of 0.85%. This is the annual fee deducted from fund assets to cover management and operations. ### How big is DDEC? FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - December (DDEC) manages $433.1M in total assets. AUM determines bid-ask liquidity and the fund's vulnerability to closure. Funds below ~$50M are at higher risk of liquidation. ### Is DDEC actively managed or an index fund? DDEC's management style is described in the fund's prospectus. See the description on the Summary tab for the published strategy. ### When was DDEC launched? FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - December (DDEC) launched in December 2020 and is managed by First Trust. ### How has DDEC performed? DDEC's total return (price change plus reinvested distributions) is charted at the top of this page. Switch the price chart to Total Return and pick a 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, or 10-year window to read the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over each horizon. ### Does DDEC pay a dividend? FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - December (DDEC) currently distributes little or no income. Trailing-twelve-month yield is —. Investors looking for income should consider income-focused alternatives. See the Peers tab. ### How often does DDEC pay dividends? FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - December pays dividends on its published schedule. Each ex-dividend date, record date, and payment date is listed in the dividend history table on this page. ### What is DDEC's dividend yield? DDEC's trailing-twelve-month yield is —, calculated from the sum of dividends over the past year divided by the current price. ### When is DDEC's next ex-dividend date? DDEC hasn't announced its next ex-date yet. Once declared it'll appear at the top of the dividend history table on this page. ### How much will DDEC's expense ratio cost me over 30 years? On a $10,000 investment compounding at 7% gross return, a 0.85% expense ratio quietly compounds against your balance every year. The Fee Compounding Forecast card above projects the dollar drag for any holding period and assumption you pick. The typical result for a 1.0% expense ratio on a 30-year hold is roughly 25% of the final balance lost to fees. ### How does DDEC charge its expense ratio? The expense ratio is deducted in tiny daily slices from DDEC's net asset value (NAV). You never see a bill. The price quoted on every exchange is already net of fees. There's no "fee day" to avoid; the cost is continuous and built into the trading price. ### Why does DDEC cost more than a fund like VOO? DDEC's strategy (current expense ratio 0.85%) is different from a broad-market index tracker like VOO, so its fee belongs to a different cohort. The Cost Verdict card above shows you where DDEC sits within its own category, which is the comparison that actually matters. ### Are there cheaper alternatives to DDEC? The Lower-Fee Alternatives card above lists ETFs following the same investment strategy as DDEC (0.85%) but at a lower expense ratio. Each row shows the fee gap, the peer's AUM as a liquidity sanity-check, and a direct link to that fund's analysis page. Cheaper price doesn't automatically mean better. Verify the peer holds what you actually want. ## More on Dividend Data - Overview (HTML): https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/ddec - Distribution history: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/ddec/dividend - Holdings & diversification: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/ddec/diversification - Fees & cheaper alternatives: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/ddec/expenses - Peer comparison: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/ddec/peers Data sourced from primary filings and market data providers; see https://www.dividenddata.com/methodology.