Both a novel Ti-5Cu alloy (in wt%) and a Ti-5Cu in situ composite containing 1 wt% B ₄C were fabricated by laser powder bed fusion, and their microstructures, mechanical and tribological properties were systematically investigated. The microstructure of the Ti-5Cu was mainly composed of α Ti laths, Ti ₂Cu and retained β phases, while the B ₄C/Ti-5Cu composite was composed of α Ti laths, Ti ₂Cu, TiC, TiB and TiB ₂ phases. Both the Cu and B ₄C additions promoted a transition from columnar to equiaxed grains for prior-β and α phases. The B ₄C/Ti-5Cu composite was found to have a higher hardness (467 HV) than the Ti-5Cu (417 HV). Further, the composite exhibits a yield strength of 1100 MPa and an ultimate tensile strength of 1250 MPa. Values which are higher than those of the Ti-5Cu that exhibits a yield strength of 750 MPa and an ultimate tensile strength of 900 MPa. However, this strength increase comes at the expense of a reduction in elongation to failure from 6.2% to 1.5%. Even though the composite is significantly stronger, the two materials exhibited very similar wear rates (ω _B4C/Ti-5Cu = 4.95 × 10 ⁻⁴ mm ³ N ⁻¹ m ⁻¹ and ω _Ti-5Cu = 4.85 × 10 ⁻⁴ mm ³ N ⁻¹ m ⁻¹).