Driven by sustainable development, effective utilization of biomass resources has become a research focus. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), an important biomass-based platform compound, holds broad application prospects. Through selective electrocatalytic oxidation, HMF can be converted into high-value-added compounds such as 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). The electrocatalytic oxidation of HMF to FDCA primarily proceeds via reaction pathways: the DFF pathway and the HMFCA pathway. These pathways are influenced by factors such as the pH of the reaction solution, applied potential, and the catalyst's ability to activate hydroxyl or aldehyde groups. For example, under strong alkaline conditions (pH≥13), the reaction predominantly follows the HMFCA pathway, whereas under mildly alkaline conditions (pH < 13), it tends to proceed via the DFF pathway. However, in certain cases, the DFF pathway may still dominate even under strongly alkaline conditions (pH ≥13). Under the combined influence of these factors, catalysts exhibit varying catalytic pathways and activities. Among the developed catalysts, precious metal catalysts (e.g., Pt, Pd, Au, and their alloys) demonstrate high catalytic activity due to their unique electronic structures. For instance, the Pd2Au1/C catalyst achieved an 83% FDCA yield in a 1 mol/L KOH solution, exhibiting outstanding performance. Nevertheless, the high cost of precious metal catalysts and their limited stability in acidic environments constrain their large-scale application. Non-precious metal catalysts (e.g., Ni-based, Co-based, and Cu-based) offer significant advantages in terms of both performance and cost. During the electrocatalytic oxidation of HMF to FDCA, these catalysts commonly achieve a Faradaic efficiency (FE) exceeding 90%. However, their high activity typically requires a strongly alkaline environment, complicating the separation of FDCA. Non-metallic catalysts, such as TEMPO and its derivatives, also exhibit high efficiency under alkaline conditions, achieving FDCA yields as high as 99%, though their activity significantly decreases in acidic media, limiting practical applications. Additionally, carbon-based catalysts (e.g., nitrogen-doped porous carbon) show certain catalytic activity, though their performance still requires further optimization. In summary, current research faces challenges such as insufficient catalyst activity under acidic conditions and difficulties in product separation. To address these issues, this paper presents recent advances in novel catalysts and emerging strategies. For example, manganese oxides show potential to maintain high activity in acidic environments, thereby overcoming the limitations of other efficient catalysts. The radical heterogenization strategy also provides new possibilities for addressing problems related to product separation and high onset potentials. This paper discusses the reaction pathway from HMF to FDCA and its influencing factors, and analyzes the performance and application challenges of various catalysts, including precious metal, non-precious metal, and non-metallic catalysts, with the aim of offering valuable insights for the efficient conversion of biomass.