Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common heart rhythm disorder that occurs in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Recent studies have shown that the incidence of AF increases in patients receiving dialysis for their kidney disease.Traditionally, vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) like warfarin have been widely used in AF patients with ESKD on dialysis. However, observational reports have raised concerns about the increased risk of severe bleeding and vascular calcification associated with the use of VKAs in patients with kidney insufficiency.In recent years, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) such as dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban have emerged as an alternative to VKAs and there have been several randomized trials and observational studies conducted to specifically investigate the therapeutic efficacy and prognosis of activated factor X (FXa) inhibitors compared to VKAs in patients with ESKD and AF who are on dialysis.Therefore, this review aimed to summarize and synthesize the findings of these recent studies to shed light on the therapeutic effects of FXa inhibitors compared with VKAs for AF patients with ESKD on dialysis.