In this paper, we introduce actions of fusion algebras on unital $$C^*$$ -algebras, and define amenability for fusion algebraic actions. Motivated by S. Neshveyev et al.’s work, considering the representation ring of a compact quantum group as a fusion algebra, we define the canonical fusion algebraic (for short, CFA) form of a discrete quantum group action on a compact quantum space. Furthermore, through the CFA form, we define FA-amenability of discrete quantum group actions, and present some basic connections between FA-amenable actions and amenable discrete quantum groups. As an application, thinking of a state on a unital $$C^*$$ -algebra as a “probability measure” on a compact quantum space, we show that amenability for a discrete quantum group is equivalent to both of FA-amenability for an action of this discrete quantum group on a compact quantum space and the existence of this kind of “probability measure” that is FA-invariant under this action.