Sub-nanometer zeolite 13X-supported Ni-ceria catalysts were synthesized for CO₂ methanation. XRD and SEM results show the structure and morphology of 13X zeolite after impregnation and calcination. Ce loading affected the catalysts’ metal dispersion, reducibility, basicity and acidity, and thence their activity and selectivity. STEM-EDX elemental mappings showed that Ce and Ni are predominantly highly dispersed. Ce has a positive effect on the reduction of NiO and leads to a relatively high number of medium basic sites with a low Ce loading. Highly stable 5%Ni2.5%Ce13X had high activity and nearly 100% CH₄ selectivity in CO₂ methanation at 360 °C, which is mainly due to the high dispersion of metals and relatively high amount of medium basic sites. It can be inferred that this catalyst synthesis strategy has great potential for good catalyst dispersion, since metal uptake by the zeolite is selective for the metal citrate complexes in solution.