TNF α-induced protein 1 (TNFAIP1) was first identified in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and can be induced by tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). Early studies have found thatTNFAIP1is involved in the development of many tumors and is closely associated with the neurological disorder Alzheimer’s disease. However, little is known about the expression pattern ofTNFAIP1under physiological conditions and its function during embryonic development. In this study, we used zebrafish as a model to illustrate the early developmental expression pattern oftnfaip1and its role in early development. First, we examined the expression pattern oftnfaip1during early zebrafish development using quantitative real-time PCR and whole mount in situ hybridization and found thattnfaip1was highly expressed in early embryonic development and, subsequently, expression became localized to anterior embryonic structures. To investigate the function oftnfaip1during early development, we constructed a model of a stably inheritedtnfaip1mutant using the CRISPR/Cas9 system.Tnfaip1mutant embryos showed significant developmental delays as well as microcephaly and microphthalmia. At the same time, we found decreased expression of the neuronal marker genestuba1b,neurod1, andccnd1intnfaip1mutants. Analysis of transcriptome sequencing data revealed altered expression of the embryonic development related genesdhx40,hspa13,tnfrsf19,nppa,lrp2b,hspb9,clul1,zbtb47a,cryba1a, andadgrg4ain thetnfaip1mutants. These findings suggest an important role fortnfaip1in the early development of zebrafish.