A composite consisting of Bi2O3 nanoparticles encapsulated by three-dimensional (3D) porous nitrogen-doped graphene is reported. Due to the 3D porous structure, the composite has large specific surface area of 112 m2 g−1, which can increase the contact area between active material and electrolyte. In addition, the 3D porous conductive framework can not only facilitate the fast electron transport and Li+ diffusion but also enhance the electrical conductivity of the composite. As expected, the composite shows an outstanding rate capability of 273 mAh g−1 at 10000 mA g−1 and a capacity of 417 mAh g−1 over 100 cycles at a current density of 200 mA g−1. Therefore, the composite is a promising candidate as an anode material for high-rate lithium ion batteries.