In order to inhibit carbon deposition in Ni/Sm-doped ceria (SDC) anode in a solid oxide fuel cell, copper was incorporated through both addition of preformed Ni0.95Cu0.05 alloy and impregnation of Cu nitrate solution. It was found that besides those preformed Ni-based alloy grains, some Cu, which is actually Cu-rich alloy, attached preferentially on the surface of those Ni-based alloy grains as nanoparticles. Carbon deposition in such anode decreased significantly with the increasing amount of Cu-rich alloy nanoparticles. For anode with 10wt.% Cu impregnation and 600°C reduction, the carbon deposition was only 12.7wt.% when exposed to dry methane for 2h. In comparison, that was actually less than 1/10 of Ni0.95Cu0.05/SDC anode without any Cu impregnation. It is demonstrated that the existence of Cu rich alloy nanoparticles in Ni0.95Cu0.05/SDC anode could mitigate carbon deposition owing to the suppression of carbon nucleation and decrease of growth site.