Zirconium alloys, as an important strategic material, also widely known as “the first metal in the atomic-energy age”, are widely used in nuclear reactors as key structural components because of their small thermal neutron capture cross-section, excellent corrosion resistance and high-temperature mechanical properties. The fundamental research and industrialization of zirconium alloy in China is later than that of the developed countries. As a result, our zirconium industries have less variants of products, which attract broad attentions from the academic communities and industry sectors. In this review, we retrospect the development history, application status and future trends of nuclear-related zirconium alloys, and emphasize the importance of accelerating fundamental research and developing new zirconium alloys. The design and development of advanced high-performance zirconium alloys are also briefly introduced, including medicalused zirconium alloys, corrosion-resistant zirconium alloys, high strength-high toughness zirconium alloys and zirconium-based amorphous alloys. With the requirements of further upgrading of nuclear reactors and the diverse applications, the development of new zirconium alloys and the broadening of their applications are key points in future research & development of advanced zirconium alloys.