[Glyptodon]

I don't think Vanguard offers a gold ETF. (Gold ETFs do exist, Vanguard just doesn't do it.)

I'm pretty sure there's a lot of evidence that gold is a great inflation hedge but otherwise doesn't offer much in the way of returns on a long run basis. Which is a reason in various cases to hold or diversify into it over a money market fund (essentially over cash). That said, currently crypto has not proven itself to be either much like cash or much like gold.