Due to the synergistic effect, metal−metal oxide hybrid nanoparticles can greatly improve their catalytic performance for hydrogenation reactions. However, controllable formation of close contact metal−metal oxide hybrid nanoparticles remains challenging. In this study, we report the use of a reverse microemulsion system to synthesize well-dispersed and uniform hollow porous silica nanospheres with Pd−Ni x O y hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) inside their cavities (Pd−Ni x O y @HPSNs). Poly-(ethylene imine) was used as void templates for hollow voids and vehicles to transport Pd and Ni precursors into the central voids. Due to the confinement of nanospaces of the central cavities and proper treatments, Pd and Ni were enforced to form close contact Pd−Ni x O y heteroaggregate nanoparticles in the cavities. Relative to their monometallic analogues, the synthesized Pd 1 -(Ni x O y ) 1/x @ HPSNs exhibit greatly enhanced activity and reusability for 4-nitrophenol reduction by NaBH 4 , and the enhancement could be attributed to the interaction between Pd and Ni x O y and the protection of inner NPs by silica shells.