Patients with chronic hepatitisB (CHB) remain at risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) even with nucleos(t)ide analog therapy. We evaluated risk factors for HCC development, including serum hepatitisB virus (HBV) RNA, hepatitis B core-related antigen level, and growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) level, a predictor of HCC development in patients with chronic hepatitisC. We collected clinical data and stored serum from CHB patients without a history of HCC who were receiving nucleos(t)ide analog treatment for more than 1year and whose HBV DNA level was less than 3.0 log IU/mL. We measured the serum levels of HBV RNA and GDF15. Among 242 CHB patients, 57 had detectable HBV RNA, and GDF15 was quantified in all patients. The median GDF15 level was 0.86ng/mL. Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that male sex and higher GDF15, FIB-4 index, alpha-fetoprotein and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase were independent risk factors for HCC. The presence of HBV RNA above the lower limit of quantification was not a risk factor. When we set cutoff values based on the Youden index, the cumulative incidence of HCC was significantly higher in the male, AFP ≥3.0ng/mL, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase ≥22U/L, FIB-4 index≥1.93, and GDF-15≥1.17ng/mL groups. In patients with no or more than three of these five risk factors, the 10-year HCC cumulative incidence rates were 0% and 41.0%, respectively. High serum GDF15 is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of HCC in CHB patients treated with nucleos(t)ide analogs.