The　sluggish　kinetics　of　the　oxygen　reduction　reaction　(ORR)　and　oxygen　evolution　reaction　(OER)　have　been　one　of　the　bottlenecks　hindering　the　commercial　application　of　rechargeable　metal-air　batteries.　This　report　describes　the　viability　of　synthesis　of　self-supported　Au-based　alloy　(AuCuCo)　by　a　facile　onepot　hydrothermal　method　and　their　use　as　highly　efficient　catalysts　for　ORR　and　OER.　The　obtained　AuCuCo　exhibits　comparable　electrocatalytic　activity　and　better　stability　toward　both　the　ORR　and　OER　in　alkaline　media　as　compared　with　commercial　Pt/C　and　IrO2/C　catalyst.　The　improved　electrocatalytic　activity　of　AuCuCo　is　attributed　to　its　unique　three-dimensional　nanostructure,　the　abundance　of　twin　crystals,　and　change　in　the　electronic　structure　of　Au　by　alloying.　(C)　2017　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.