If you are confused whether to trade or Invest, you must assess yourself first. If you are a risk taker and willing to lose something in trading, you may push  through in trading. Both are good in terms of money returns, study more in trading and when you trade, always invest a percentage of your money. Find a good platform that can secure your investment.

Cryptocurrencies are no substitute for gold. Each of the two has their own capacity and usage and I think we cannot compare it. As gold is less volatile and has more liquid market.