A seemingly unstoppable flood of money has Vanguard Group Inc. on the brink of claiming a crown that State Street Corp. has held for decades.

The Vanguard Energy ETF ( VDE -1.80%) mirrors the sector's performance. So far this year, it is the best-performing exchange-traded fund (ETF) offered by investment management firm Vanguard. And with a 3.2% yield and a mere 0.1% expense ratio, it offers an inexpensive way to generate passive income.

If you're new to investing and don't have a lot of money to get started, don't fret. The best place for new investors to begin is often with exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which will give investors instant diversification through a portfolio of stock holdings.

With such a wide range of potential outcomes this year, risk management and value capture will be important themes.

The Vanguard Growth ETF is heavily concentrated in a handful of companies. Both ETFs have what it takes to continue rewarding patient investors. Maintaining a diversified portfolio can make it easier to endure volatility or even a stock market sell-off.