Abstract: Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are key materials for the development of heavy equipment in aviation engines, gas turbines, and hypersonic aircraft engines. Yttrium tantalate (YTaO₄) has great potential as a next-generation ultra-high temperature thermal barrier coating material due to its excellent thermophysical properties (low thermal conductivity, high coefficient of thermal expansion) and mechanical properties (low Young's modulus and ferroelastic phase transformation toughening). The performance requirements and theoretical basis of material modification of thermal barrier coatings were summarized, and the research progress of ion doping, composite, alloying, and high-entropy modification and optimization of YTaO₄-based thermal barrier coating materials in recent years was reviewed, and finally its development direction was prospected, in order to provide reference for future research.