Abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a leading cause of cancer‑related death worldwide, emphasizing the utmost importance of early diagnosis, therapeutic monitoring, and pro-gnostic assessment. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), as an innovative liquid biopsy biomarker, has demonstrated unique advantages in HCC management. The authors systematically summarized recent advances in the application of ctDNA for early diagnosis, therapeutic monitoring, and prognostic evaluation of HCC, focusing on its advantages and clinical application value in precision medicine.