Ion irradiation can be used to induce partial crystallization in metallic glasses to improve their surface properties. We investigated the microstructural changes in ribbon Zr 55 Cu 30 Al 10 Ni 5 metallic glass after 1MeV Cu-ion irradiation at room temperature, to a fluence of 1.0×10 16 cm −2 . In contrast to a recent report by others that there was no irradiation induced crystallization in the same alloy [S. Nagata, S. Higashi, B. Tsuchiya, K. Toh, T. Shikama, K. Takahiro, K. Ozaki, K. Kawatusra, S. Yamamoto, A. Inouye, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. B 257 (2007) 420], we have observed nanocrystals in the as-irradiated samples. Two groups of nanocrystals, one with diameters of 5–10nm and another with diameters of 50–100nm are observed by using high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Experimentally measured planar spacings (d-values) agree with the expectations for Cu 10 Zr 7 , NiZr 2 and CuZr 2 phases. We further discussed the possibility to form a substitutional intermetallic (Ni x Cu 1− x )Zr 2 phase.