At a glance
RSDE charges 0.85% a year, below the 0.86% average of the 7 funds most like it (the 3rd cheapest of 8). It has $31.2M in assets, the 8th largest of that group.
The short version
FT Vest U.S. Equity Equal Weight Buffer ETF – December (RSDE) uses options on the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF that aim to absorb the first 10% of that ETF's yearly price losses, in exchange for capped gains (14.82% before fees through December 18, 2026). Its equal-weight tilt sets it apart from larger buffer funds; it charges 0.85%, pays no income and held just $31.2 million as of August 31, 2026.
Price history
The interactive chart needs JavaScript.
RSDE — over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSDE official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +7.94% | — | — | — | — |
| RSDE price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +4.4% | — | — | — | — | — |
- The deepest fall in its price history was 2.7% (Aug 26, 2026 to Sep 30, 2026), recovered by Oct 22, 2026.
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Before this security existed |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Before this security existed |
What's inside
As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 0 securities; the ten largest made up 0% of assets.
| Holding | Weight |
|---|
By country
By asset type
What changed recently
- Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors withdrew a net $37.7M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +1.56%, +0.72%, +1.57%.
How it works
RSDE holds no stocks directly. As of August 31, 2026, about 99.5% of assets sat in 14 FLEX options, exchange-traded option contracts with customizable terms. All reference the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP), which generally holds every stock in the S&P 500 Equal Weight Index, giving each company about the same weight rather than by size. Vest Financial LLC runs the strategy as sub-advisor for issuer First Trust.
The options cover an outcome period of about a year. From December 22, 2025, to December 18, 2026, the fund aims to match RSP's price gains up to a 14.82% cap and absorb the first 10% of its price losses (the buffer). Beyond that, losses pass through one for one: if RSP falls 20%, the fund loses 10% before fees. After fees and expenses, the cap and buffer shrink to 13.97% and 9.15%. RSP's dividends are excluded from returns.
When a period ends, the fund rolls into new options. The 10% buffer stays the same, but the new cap depends on market conditions and will likely change. The fund's website posts an expected cap range about a week ahead, with no guarantee. The targets apply only to shares held for a full period; anyone who gets in or out partway through may see different results.
What it really costs
- RSDE charges 0.85% a year, versus an average of 0.86% for the similar funds below (3rd of 8, cheapest first).
Structure and tax notes
- Uses options to limit losses within a range (the buffer) in exchange for a cap on gains over each outcome period; results depend on when you buy relative to the period start.
In a retirement portfolio
It aims to absorb the first 10% of an equal-weighted S&P 500 fund's yearly price losses, giving up gains above a cap and all dividends.
RSDE could serve as a cushioned stake in U.S. stocks, but its record is thin. It launched December 20, 2024, so it has no history in the 2008, 2020 or 2022 downturns. Its only full calendar year, 2025, returned 8.68%, per its prospectus, and its weakest quarter, the first of 2025, lost 0.20%. Price data from June 9, 2026, show a deepest drop of 2.7%, from August 26 to September 30, 2026, recovered by October 22. Someone who must cash out mid-period may not get the full buffer, and losses beyond RSP's first 10% pass through.
It has recorded no distributions, so spending money would come from cashing in shares. The 0.85% expense ratio, its annual fee, sits near the 0.86% average for similar buffer funds; Innovator's PDEC charges 0.79%. Past results don't predict future returns, and a plan should weigh the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors willing to cap gains (14.82% before fees through December 18, 2026) to cushion the first 10% of an equal-weight S&P 500 fund's losses.
- Investors who can get in near a December reset and stay the full outcome period, when the stated cap and buffer actually apply.
- Those wanting a buffer fund less tied to the biggest companies, since its underlying index gives each S&P 500 stock a similar weight.
Look elsewhere if
- Retirees who need income: RSDE has recorded no distributions, and its returns exclude dividends paid by the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF.
- Anyone seeking deep-crash protection: losses past the first 10% pass through one for one, and the fund wasn't around in 2008, 2020 or 2022.
- Investors who value size and easy trading: at $31.2 million as of August 31, 2026, it is the smallest of eight comparable buffer funds.
Close alternatives
Matched by other buffer (defined-outcome) funds, largest first.
| Fund | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSDE this fund | 0.85% | $31.2M | — | — |
| BUFR FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF | 0.95% | $10.49B | +11.6% | +16.8% |
| BUFD FT Vest Laddered Deep Buffer ETF | 0.95% | $2.04B | +9.5% | +13.9% |
| PJAN Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Ja… | 0.79% | $1.44B | +10.5% | +14.8% |
| PDEC Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - De… | 0.79% | $984.1M | +11.6% | +14.9% |
| FDEC FT Vest US Equity Buffer ETF - December | 0.85% | $1.31B | +12.9% | +18.5% |
| FJAN FT Vest US Equity Buffer ETF - January | 0.85% | $1.47B | +12.3% | +17.4% |
| FFEB FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer Fund - February | 0.85% | $1.42B | +12.9% | +18.6% |
Questions investors ask
How does the RSDE buffer ETF work?
RSDE uses FLEX options, customizable exchange-traded option contracts, on the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP) to shape returns over an outcome period of about one year. From December 22, 2025, to December 18, 2026, it aims to match RSP's price gains up to 14.82% and absorb RSP's first 10% of price losses, before fees. After fees and expenses, the cap is 13.97% and the buffer 9.15%. If RSP falls more than 10%, the fund takes the extra losses one for one.
Does RSDE pay dividends?
No. RSDE has recorded no distributions. Its target returns are based only on the price of the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF, so the dividends that ETF pays are not reflected in RSDE's returns. That makes it a total-return holding rather than an income one. Investors who need regular cash from their portfolio would have to cash in shares or rely on other holdings.
What's the difference between RSDE and FDEC?
Mainly the stocks behind the options. Both are FT Vest buffer ETFs from First Trust that reset in December and charge 0.85%. RSDE ties its options to the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF, which gives each S&P 500 company a similar weight; FDEC is the family's U.S. Equity Buffer fund for December, without the equal-weight focus. FDEC is far larger, with $1.31 billion in net assets versus RSDE's $31.2 million, both as of August 31, 2026, and returned 12.9% in the year to October 27, 2026.
Is RSDE good for retirement?
It may suit retirees who want some cushion on U.S. stocks and don't need income, but the protection has limits. The buffer covers only the first 10% of RSP's price losses, and it is designed for shares held a full outcome period. The fund launched December 20, 2024, so it has no record in the 2008, 2020 or 2022 downturns. Its only full calendar year, 2025, returned 8.68%, according to its prospectus. It has recorded no distributions and charges 0.85% a year.
What if I invest in RSDE after the outcome period starts?
Results may differ sharply from the stated cap and buffer. Those targets apply only to shares held from the first day of an outcome period to the last. Someone who gets in later starts from wherever the fund's value and RSP's price stand, so the remaining cushion and upside may be larger or smaller. During a period, the fund tends to move with RSP, but not always as far. About a week before each period ends, the fund's website posts an expected range for the next cap.