<p>The pristine MoS₂ cathode material exhibits low capacity and poor rate capability in Zn-ionic batteries, limited by the poor electronic conductivity and strong interaction between Zn²⁺ and MoS₂. Herein, we devised an edge-enriched copper-doping strategy to synthesize molybdenum disulfide nanosheets with varying copper concentrations through the hydrochloric acid etching approach (Cu-MoS₂(AT)). This experimental design is to investigate the enhancement of Cu-dopant in MoS₂ in an HCl environment during composite formation. Results show that Cu doping enlarges the interlayer spacing, promotes the formation of 1T-MoS₂, and significantly boosts Zn²⁺ ion diffusion kinetics and the electronic conductivity of Cu-MoS₂(AT). Furthermore, a porous layered nanosheet structure, resembling a nickel-foam with rich active edges, was successfully fabricated through HCl-induced corrosion of Cu-MoS₂. As a result, the optimized Cu: Mo ratio of 0.07:1 in MoS₂ used as a cathode material in AZIBs demonstrates a maximum specific discharge capacity of 145.4 mAh∙g^− 1 at 2&#xa0;A g^− 1, with 66.3% capacity retention after 400 cycles. Additionally, the energy storage mechanism of the sample was thoroughly investigated and elucidated.</p>