The nanostructured WC-10Co-4Cr coatings were fabricated by high velocity oxy-fuel spraying using the in situ synthesized WC-Co nanocomposite powder with size of 70-200 nm and Cr addition. Through optimization of the processing conditions, the nanostructured WC-Co-Cr coating has only a small amount of decarburized phase, a dense microstructure and an excellent combination of hardness, fracture toughness and wear resistance. A series of sliding wear tests were performed to investigate the wear behavior of the nanostructured cermet coating. The evolution of the friction coefficient, wear characteristics and their mechanisms were studied for the nanostructured WC-Co-Cr coating with the change of the load. The present study proposes a new understanding of the occurrence and the related mechanisms of the wear of the cermet coatings. (c) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.