<p>Gliadin, a natural alcohol-soluble storage protein derived from wheat, has attracted considerable attention as a delivery carrier due to its unique amphiphilic structure and multifunctional properties. These characteristics enable gliadin to efficiently encapsulate and protect diverse bioactive compounds, improve their physicochemical stability, and modulate their release profiles in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby significantly improving their bioavailability. This review provides a systematic summary of the structural and functional advantages of gliadin in delivery applications and highlights recent advances in the design and modification of gliadin-based delivery systems. Notably, it highlights key strategies to improve the stability and performance of gliadin carriers, including complexation with natural polysaccharides as well as physical, chemical, and enzymatic modifications. In addition, the practical applications of gliadin for delivering bioactive compounds such as phenolics, carotenoids, vitamins, and fatty acids are comprehensively discussed. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that gliadin-based delivery systems not only enhance the stability of bioactives under environmental stress but also enable sustained and targeted release, thereby improving their in vivo bioavailability and functional efficacy. This review aims to provide theoretical insights to guide the future design and industrial application of gliadin-based delivery platforms, promoting their broader utilization in bioactive compound delivery.</p>