Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common liver malignancy. Early vascular invasion (VI) has been associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a significant role in the emergence and development of many tumor types. In this study, we identified miR-9-5p that could predict VI and prognosis in HCC patients based on TCGA database. Further, we explored the possible mechanism of miR-9-5p by target gene prediction, functional enrichment analysis, and protein‑protein interaction analysis. Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that miR-9-5p was an independent risk factor for HCC. Finally, the nomogram based on miR-9-5p showed a good predictive value of HCC survival. In summary, miR-9-5p is associated with VI in HCC, and higher expression of miR-9-5p indicates poor prognosis in HCC.