GDEC vs. QCAP

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

GDEC (FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - December) and QCAP (FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April) are both exchange-traded funds - GDEC is a Options Trading fund actively managed by FT Vest, while QCAP is a Nasdaq-100 fund actively managed by FT Vest. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, GDEC returned 15.63% vs 11.06% for QCAP. A 0.78 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. GDEC charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.90%/yr for QCAP.

Performance

GDEC vs. QCAP - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - December (GDEC) and FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April (QCAP). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with GDEC having a 5.14% return and QCAP slightly higher at 5.23%.

GDEC

• 1D: -0.16%
• 1M: 1.94%
• YTD: 5.14%
• 6M: 6.04%
• 1Y: 15.63%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

QCAP

• 1D: -0.08%
• 1M: 2.34%
• YTD: 5.23%
• 6M: 5.92%
• 1Y: 11.06%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

GDEC vs. QCAP - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
GDEC FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - December	5.14%	12.14%	8.48%
QCAP FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April	5.23%	7.13%	10.40%

Correlation

The correlation between GDEC and QCAP is 0.80, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.80
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 23, 2024	0.78

The correlation between GDEC and QCAP has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.78 to 0.80 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

GDEC vs. QCAP — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

GDEC

GDEC Risk / Return Rank: 82
GDEC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
GDEC Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
GDEC Omega Ratio Rank: 88
GDEC Calmar Ratio Rank: 67
GDEC Martin Ratio Rank: 84

QCAP

QCAP Risk / Return Rank: 97
QCAP Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
QCAP Sortino Ratio Rank: 98
QCAP Omega Ratio Rank: 98
QCAP Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
QCAP Martin Ratio Rank: 98

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

GDEC vs. QCAP - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - December (GDEC) and FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April (QCAP). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	GDEC	QCAP	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.67	4.17	-1.49
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.98	7.37	-3.39
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.55	1.99	-0.44
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.28	13.50	-10.22
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	17.29	67.84	-50.55
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

GDEC vs. QCAP - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GDEC Sharpe Ratio is 2.67, which is lower than the QCAP Sharpe Ratio of 4.17. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GDEC and QCAP, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	GDEC	QCAP	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.67	4.17	-1.49
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.52	1.26	+0.26

Drawdowns

GDEC vs. QCAP - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GDEC drawdown since its inception was -10.61%, which is greater than QCAP's maximum drawdown of -9.17%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GDEC and QCAP.

Drawdown Indicators

	GDEC	QCAP	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-10.61%	-9.17%	-1.44%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.79%	-0.82%	-3.97%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.16%	-0.08%	-0.08%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.76%	-0.52%	-0.24%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.91%	0.16%	+0.75%

Volatility

GDEC vs. QCAP - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - December (GDEC) is 0.87%, while FT Vest NASDAQ-100 Conservative Buffer ETF - April (QCAP) has a volatility of 0.99%. This indicates that GDEC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than QCAP based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GDEC	QCAP	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.87%	0.99%	-0.12%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.63%	1.93%	+2.70%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.88%	2.69%	+3.19%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.96%	8.73%	-0.77%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	7.96%	8.73%	-0.77%

GDEC vs. QCAP - Expense Ratio Comparison

GDEC has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is lower than QCAP's 0.90% expense ratio.

Dividends

GDEC vs. QCAP - Dividend Comparison

Neither GDEC nor QCAP has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both GDEC and QCAP in my portfolio?

GDEC and QCAP have a correlation of 0.80, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, GDEC or QCAP?

QCAP has higher volatility (0.99%) compared to GDEC (0.87%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GDEC dropped -10.61% vs QCAP's -9.17%.

Which ETF is better, GDEC or QCAP?

On 1-year performance, GDEC leads with 15.63% vs 11.06% for QCAP. On fees, GDEC is cheaper at 0.85% per year. On volatility, GDEC has been the lower-risk option at 0.87%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, GDEC or QCAP?

Over the 1-year period, GDEC has performed better with a 15.63% return vs 11.06%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, GDEC or QCAP?

GDEC is cheaper with a 0.85% expense ratio, compared with 0.90% for QCAP.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, GDEC or QCAP?

GDEC and QCAP have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between GDEC and QCAP?

GDEC is categorized as Options Trading, while QCAP is Nasdaq-100. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for GDEC and 0.90% for QCAP.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

QCAP currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.17 vs 2.67), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.