In this paper, Ni nanoparticles (NPs) are prepared in an aqueous solution by using sodium borohydride as reducing agent. With Ni NPs as the sacrificial template, hollow NiPdAu NPs are successfully prepared via partly galvanic displacement reaction between suitable metal precursors and Ni NPs. The as-synthesized hollow NiPdAu NPs can well dispersed on the carbon substrate. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry are taken to analyze the morphology, structure and composition of the as-synthesized catalysts. The prepared catalysts show superior catalytic activity and stability for methanol electrooxidation in alkaline media compared with commercial Pd/C and Pt/C. Catalysts prepared in this work show great potential to be anode catalysts in direct methanol fuel cells. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.