The pressure effect on the crystallization kinetics of an amorphous Al 89 La 6 Ni 5 alloy has been investigated by means of piston–cylinder measurements within a pressure range of 0–1.0GPa. It was found that an applied pressure enhances the first primary crystallization, i.e. the precipitation of f.c.c.-Al from the amorphous phase. The crystallization temperature decreases from 495 to 440K when the applied pressure increases from ambient to 0.9GPa. Meanwhile, the thermal stability of the residual amorphous phase with the Al dispersion is elevated at higher pressures. The crystallization temperature of the residual amorphous phase increases by 35K/GPa when the pressure increases. The observed pressure effect on the crystallization kinetics in the amorphous alloy, which cannot be interpreted by means of the pressure effect on atomic diffusion, may be well understood in terms of the volume change effect at the early stage of crystallization.