To provide an alloy for an electrode which can obtain satisfactory discharge properties by solving the problems of the oxidation of an electrode in a heating stage and the reduction in the service life upon its use.

Disclosed is an alloy for a cold cathode discharge tube electrode comprising, by mass, 0.01 to 0.3% rare earth elements and either or both of Cr and Co by 0.01 to 6.0%, and the balance Ni with inevitable impurities. In this invention, the preferable range in the case Cr or Co is comprised individually is 0.05 to 4.0% by mass%, and, in the case both of Cr and Co are comprised, the total of Cr and Co is 0.05 to 4.0% by mass%.