Here we report the study and use of titanium supported nanostructured Au-Ni and Pt-Ni thin layers as electrocatalysts for direct borohydride fuel cells. The electrocatalysts with different amounts of Au or Pt aggregates were deposited on titanium surface through galvanic displacement reactions between hierarchical Ni thin films prepared by electroless deposition and solutions of HAuCl4 and H2PtCl6. The surface morphology and composition of the catalysts were examined using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic activity of these catalysts was evaluated toward borohydride oxidation by means of cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and chronopotentiometry. The fabricated nano-Au(Ni)/Ti and nano-Pt(Ni)/Ti catalysts exhibit an enhanced electrochemical activity toward electrochemical oxidation of borohydride as compared to that of bulk Au and Pt electrodes. (C) 2012 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/2.026206jes] All rights reserved.