Developing efficient and stable electrocatalysts with three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical nanostructures is extremely important in practical applications of direct alcohol fuel cells. Herein, 3D hierarchical thornlike multi-metallic PtPdNiCu alloyed nanotripods (PtPdNiCu TNTPs) were efficiently fabricated by a one-pot aqueous method, in which Pluronic F127 performed as the structure-director and dispersing agent. The as-prepared PtPdNiCu TNTPs exhibited distinct electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) with a mass activity (MA) of 1.465 A mg(Pd)(-1), which is superior to commercial Pt/C (0.925 A mg(Pd)(-1)) in 1.0 M KOH solution, along with the greater MA (1.019 A mg(Pd)(-1)) for ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) than Pt/C (0.712 A mg(Pd)(-1)). This work would provide an impetus for rationally constructing multimetal nanomaterials to commercial implementation of advanced alcohol fuel cells. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.