Near-infrared (NIR) light-powered nanomotors with active motion have attracted extensive attention inthe chemo-photothermal therapy of cancer. However, there are also some limitations such as complicatedsynthesis process, low permeability of drugs and viscous physiological environment. Herein, wedeveloped a facile route to synthesize novel NIR light-powered DOX/Au-m-HTAS nanomotor based onnatural halloysite (HNTs) for active chemo-photothermal therapy. Such nanomotor exhibited NIR lightcontrolled on/off motion with a maximum speed of 64.5 lm/s. Owing to the synergetic NIR lightpoweredmotion and chemo-photothermal therapy, DOX/Au-m-HTAS nanomotor could effectivelyadhere tumor cells, leading to deeper cell penetration, higher cellular uptake, and better ablation oftumor cells. Meanwhile, DOX/Au-m-HTAS nanomotors also had enhanced ability for CT imaging of localtumor, demonstrating the enhanced anticancer efficiency. This strategy provided a new insight into thechemo-photothermal synergistic therapy of tumors.