The first Dy(III) tetraphenylimidodiphosphinate complex Dy(Tpip)3 was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, TG, and X-ray diffraction analysis. The aryl-functionalised imidodiphosphinate ligand (Tpip) provides a bidentate anionic site that leads to a hexa-coordinate dysprosium complex [Dy(Tpip)3]. The X-ray single-crystal structural analysis indicates that the structure crystallizes to a trigonal system with a space group $$P\bar 3$$ a = 23.4638(17), c = 21.3207(18) Å, and Z = 6. It shows excellent thermal stability with no obvious weight loss below 400°C. The luminescence experiment shows that the complex exhibits the typical luminescence of Dy3+ ion in the visible region. The photo stability of Dy(Tpip)3 is very good and the emission intensity remains above 94% as it of before excited upon excitation for 3600 s.