USDC can be the other option to stake if you don't want to stake altcoin. In some exchanges offers a nice return but you must remember that only use the amount you can afford.

Staking and trading is different and that depends on which will make someone comfortable. If he thinks that staking can give return without doing anything, staking will be a good choice. But if he willing to learn about trading because he see the opportunity to make a profit, he will have that profit especially if he have a good skills. We can not compare both staking and trading especially if you ask about which one can give the best result. Maybe someone will say that staking give him more profit than trading but the other people will say that trading give him more profit.