FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF… (GDEC) Performance
GDEC total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +8.0% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +10.5% total return
- Since first price
- +35.7% since 2023
GDEC trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | GDEC total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +0.0% | +0.0% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +2.7% | +2.7% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +5.4% | +5.4% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +8.0% | +8.0% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +10.5% | +10.5% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| Since inceptionDec 18, 2023 | +35.7% | +35.7% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: GDEC vs SPY
From Dec 18, 2023: GDEC grew to $13,565, SPY to $16,629.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
GDEC returns by calendar year
2 of 2 full years positive. Best 2025 (+12.1%), worst 2024 (+11.5%). 2026 is year to date.
GDEC annual returns table
| Year | GDEC | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +8.0% | −4.8% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +12.1% | −10.6% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +11.5% | −3.2% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
GDEC largest drawdowns
Now 0.7% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 19, 2025 | −10.6% | Apr 8, 2025 | Jun 10, 2025 | 48 days | 4 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
GDEC risk statistics
| Statistic | Since 2023 |
|---|---|
| Annualized return | +11.5% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 5.3% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.29 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.40 |
| Best month | +5.3% |
| Worst month | −3.0% |
| Best 12 months | +18.2% |
| Worst 12 months | +4.9% |
| Positive months | 82% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
GDEC rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 23 | +4.9% | +11.2% | +18.2% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2023. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
GDEC performance overview
FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF… (GDEC) returned +10.5% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price on Dec 18, 2023 it has returned +35.7%. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −10.6%, from Feb 19, 2025 to Apr 8, 2025, and it took 2 months to get back to the old high. Volatility has been 5.3% a year.
Related: GDEC chart. See the GDEC overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
GDEC performance FAQ
What is the GDEC return over the past year?
GDEC returned +10.5% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 10.5%.
How much would $10,000 invested in GDEC be worth?
$10,000 invested in GDEC at its first recorded close on December 18, 2023 would be worth about $13,565 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for GDEC?
The worst calendar year was 2024, with a total return of +11.5%. The best was 2025 at +12.1%.
What is the biggest drawdown of GDEC?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −10.6% between February 19, 2025 and April 8, 2025. It recovered to the old high on June 10, 2025, 2 months after the bottom.
How volatile is GDEC?
Over the past history GDEC had an annualized volatility of 5.3% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.29 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).