A novel ternary Sb–Co–P alloy electrode was prepared by electroplating on copper current collector as a promising negative electrode material for lithium-ion batteries. The structural and morphological features of the Sb–Co–P alloy were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The as-prepared alloy electrode exhibits a high specific capacity and an excellent cycleability. The initial discharge and charge capacities of the Sb–Co–P alloy anode were measured 700 and 539mAhg −1 , respectively. The results suggest that the Sb–Co–P alloy material obtained by the electrodeposition shows a good candidate anode material for lithium-ion batteries.