Zr1-xYxO2-0.5x nanoparticles were introduced into the sulfonic acid form of the Nafion-type perfluorinated copolymer prior to membrane formation to improve its water retention, thermal stability, and proton conductivity. Since the conditions of nanoparticle formation can significantly influence their size, phase composition, morphology and surface chemistry, solution combustion and wet chemistry methods were used to obtain them. It was found that among all the approaches used to obtain nanoparticles based on zirconia, solvothermal synthesis is the most promising, since it provides a more uniform chemical composition, small crystallite size, a large specific surface area and a high degree of its hydrophobicity. The cooperative contribution of the above properties makes it possible to increase the proton conductivity of the Nafion-type perfluorinated copolymer and to raise the operating temperature of membranes based on it due to more efficient moisture retention.