Ethanol is a new fuel source employed in fuel cells because of its advantages such as low toxicity and lower market cost. Recently, two types of ethanol fuel cells have been developed: the acid and alkaline type Direct Ethanol Fuel Cell (DEFC). For both types of fuel cells, platinum was found as an excellent catalyst for the electrochemical reaction. However, recent research shows that palladium is a potential substitute for the costly platinum as the primary catalyst. Several studies reported that palladium is superior over platinum especially in alkaline environment. Thus, this paper briefly majorly presents both palladium and platinum catalysts used in oxidation of ethanol and highlight the remaining problems in the field. Copyright (C) 2015, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.