Asphaltene precipitation is a common challenge in the petroleum industry，occurring across nearly every stage of oil production，processing and transportation，often leading to serious operational problem. Nanoparticles（NPs），as a novel class of materials，possess exceptionally high surface energy due to their unique properties，including small size，surface effect，and quantum size effect，making them highly effective in adsorption and catalysis applications. This paper explored the mechanisms by which NPs inhibit asphaltene precipitation，including adsorption stabilization and steric hindrance. The potential action modes of each mechanism were also elaborated. Furthermore，the factors influencing the effectiveness of NPs in inhibiting asphaltene precipitation were reviewed，including nanoparticle factors，asphaltene properties and medium characteristics. The underlying mechanisms of these factors were analyzed，along with the synergistic or antagonistic interactions among them.