The　widely　studied　Pt/C　catalyst　for　direct　methanol　fuel　cells　(DMFCs)　suffers　severe　carbon　corrosion　under　operation,　which　undermines　the　catalytic　activity　and　durability.　It　is　of　great　importance　to　develop　a　carbon-free　support　with　co-catalytic　functionality　for　improving　both　the　activity　and　durability　of　Pt-based　catalysts.　The　direct　loading　of　Pt　on　the　smooth　surface　of　oxides　may　be　difficult.　Herein,　the　Cu　assisted　loading　of　Pt　on　CeO2　is　developed.　Cu　pre-coated　CeO2　was　facilely　synthesized　and　Pt　was　electrochemically　deposited　to　fabricate　the　carbon-free　PtCu/CeO2　catalyst.　The　PtCu/CeO2　catalyst　has　a　mass　activity　up　to　1.84　and　1.57　times　higher　than　Pt/C　towards　methanol　oxidation　reaction　(MOR)　and　oxygen　reduction　reaction　(ORR),　respectively.　Better　durability　is　also　confirmed　by　chronoamperometry　and　accelerated　degradation　tests.　The　strategy　in　this　work　would　be　greatly　helpful　for　developing　an　efficient　carbon-free　support　of　Pt-based　catalysts　for　applications　in　DMFCs.　©　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.