Cu/SBA-15 exhibited the highest activity for the selective oxidation of methane to formaldehyde by oxygen among various M/SBA-15 catalysts (M = V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, and W) containing small amount of M (M/Si = 1/13200). Formaldehyde space-time yield reached 870 g kg(cat)(-1) h(-1) over the Cu/SBA-15 under the conditions maintaining single-pass formaldehyde yield higher than 1%. The turnover frequency for HCHO formation was 5.6 s(-1) under the same conditions, significantly higher than other catalysts reported so far.