Abstract: In order to study the influence of stiffener and the vertical load on the performance of steel plate shear wall，one specimen and two specimens with vertical stiffeners were selected to carry on pushover and cyclic loading tests． And the finite vertical load was set as the control variable． The deformation performance of steel plate shear wall and the overall and local bucklings of vertical stiffener were investigated． The pushover curve and hysteretic loops were obtained． Based on the tested results，the load-carrying capacity，lateral stiffness and energy dissipation capacity of steel plate shear wall with vertical stiffener were analyzed． The results showed that finite vertical load had a greater influence on the buckling load and lateral stiffness of the vertically stiffened steel plate shear wall，less effect on yield load and ultimate bearing capacity． And the values of the threshold stiffness coefficients of vertical and side stiffeners were also suggested．