Heart transplantation enhances the quality of life and survival rate of patients with end-stage heart failure. However, the biggest obstacle remains the insufficient supply of cardiac grafts, which has caused the global waitlist for heart transplants to increase. Subsequently, donation after circulatory death (DCD) has emerged as a potential solution to alleviate the insufficient supply of cardiac grafts, potentially offering new opportunities for terminally ill patients. Over the past five years, the number of DCD heart transplants has increased, with increasing success rates reported by organ transplantation centers in Britain, Australia, and the United States. This trend highlights the growing recognition of the potential for DCD-related heart transplantations. Unlike traditional donation after brain death (DBD), DCD requires an ischemic period before implantation in the recipient. Presently, no perfect solution exists to avoid or alleviate ischemic injury to the donor myocardium, which may affect the quality and viability of the DCD grafts. Therefore, the future use of DCD donor hearts hinges on scientific advancements addressing challenges such as optimizing donor heart preservation and transportation. Meanwhile, collaboration among surgical teams and public understanding and support are also crucial. This review summarizes the phylogeny and status of DCD heart transplantation and analyzes specific aspects, including transplantation protocols, clinical cases, and challenges. The objective was to anticipate further roles for DCD heart transplantation that can improve survival and quality of life for patients with end-stage heart disease.