PURPOSE: To obtain a printing wire minimal in wear attendant on printing by forming a plating layer of Ni-P alloy or Co-P alloy in which fine hard grains are dispersed and incorporated on the surface of a base material for printing wire for use in dot printer.

CONSTITUTION: A plating layer 2 of Ni-P alloy or Co-P alloy of 5-15wt.% P content, in which fine hard grains 3 having ≤3μm average grain size and com posed of artificial diamond, CBN, SiC, Al2O3, etc., are uniformly dispersed and incorporated by 3-20wt.%, is formed on the surface of a base material 1 for printing wire for dot printer composed of piano wire, high-speed tool steel, etc., to 5-80μm thickness by means of electroplating or electroless plating. By forming a composite plating layer in which hard grains are dispersed as mentioned above, the printing wire for dot printer excellent in wear resistance can be obtained.