The Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF, which owns large-cap U.S. growth stocks, is the best-performing Vanguard ETF since its inception. I suspect the fund will continue its winning ways over the next decade and beyond, especially with several of its top holdings poised to benefit from increased adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).

The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) is made up of 500 companies from 11 different sectors of the economy, but since it's weighted by market capitalization, its largest constituents have a greater influence over its performance than the smallest.

Vanguard exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are a fantastic choice for retired investors looking to play the long game with their portfolios. Undoubtedly, Vanguard is a name that passive investors can put their trust in.

The Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF ( VGK 2.58%) is the biggest winner year to date with a gain of around 11%. This ETF owns 1,269 stocks, all of which are based in European countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.