The invention belongs to the technical field of lithium ion battery electrode materials, and discloses a metal formate/carbon nano tube lithium ion battery cathode material and a preparing method thereof. The lithium ion battery cathode material is prepared from metal nitrate, formic acid, N,N-dimethylformamide and acidized carbon nano tubes, wherein the metal nitrate includes nickel nitrate, cobalt nitrate, zinc nitrate and manganous nitrate, the molar ratio of the metal nitrate to formic acid is 1:5-1:8, and the mass of the acidized carbon nano tubes accounts for 10-40% that of the metal nitrate. The preparing method adopts a solvothermal method, conductivity of the obtained metal formate/carbon nano tube lithium ion battery cathode material is remarkably improved by means of effective cladding of the carbon nano tubes, the material has high specific capacity and circulation stability, respective advantages of the carbon nano tubes and a metal-organic framework material can be brought into play, and the material is an ideal lithium ion battery cathode material. The preparing method is simple in preparation technology and convenient and easy to operate.