Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated ETF – Quarterly (XDSQ) is an exchange-traded fund that seeks to deliver twice (2x) the price return of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), up to a predetermined quarterly outcome cap, with approximately 1x downside exposure to SPY over each three-month outcome period; the fund achieves this objective through investments in FLEX Options on SPY, including a portfolio of call and put options, cash equivalents, and U.S. Treasuries. Launched on March 31, 2021, and domiciled in the United States, XDSQ targets investors seeking accelerated large-cap equity exposure with defined outcome parameters in the leveraged equity ETF segment; it holds concentrated positions primarily in SPY-linked FLEX Options, with top holdings comprising long and short options contracts representing over 89% of the portfolio, alongside cash allocations. The fund, managed by Innovator Capital Management LLC (headquartered in Wheaton, Illinois), operates within the U.S. market and is available to investors through major exchanges like the Cboe BZX.
In a significant strategic development announced on December 1, 2025, Innovator Capital Management entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Goldman Sachs in a cash-and-equity transaction valued at approximately $2 billion, subject to performance targets and expected to close in the second quarter of 2026 pending regulatory approval; this acquisition will integrate Innovator's $28 billion in assets under supervision across 159 defined outcome ETFs, including XDSQ, into Goldman Sachs Asset Management, expanding its active ETF capabilities and positioning the combined entity to manage over $75 billion in ETF assets globally. The deal underscores Innovator's leadership in outcome-based ETFs and aligns with Goldman Sachs' focus on high-growth segments like defined outcome strategies utilizing options-based approaches for targeted upside, buffers, and income. Post-acquisition, Innovator's leadership team, including CEO Bruce Bond and over 60 employees, will join Goldman Sachs Asset Management's Third-Party Wealth and ETF teams, with no immediate changes to investment management or service providers for funds like XDSQ.