Given the emerging role of microRNAs (miRs) in cancer progression, the present study investigated the role and underlying mechanism of miR‑103 in colorectal cancer (CRC). Reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction was conducted to quantify the expression levels of miR‑103 in clinical specimens and cell lines. The role of miR‑103 in CRC was examined using MTT, colony formation and transwell assays. In addition, a luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm an associated between the 3' untranslated region of zonula occuldens‑1 (ZO‑1) and miR‑103. The results demonstrated that miR‑103 was upregulated in CRC. Overexpression of miR‑103 promoted CRC cell proliferation and migration in vitro, whereas downregulation of miR‑103 inhibited cell proliferation and migration. ZO‑1 was identified as a direct target of miR‑103, revealing its expression to be inversely correlated with miR‑103 expression in CRC samples. In conclusion, the present study revealed that miR‑103 has strong tumor‑promoting effects via of targeting ZO‑1 in CRC and has potential development of miRNA‑based targeted approaches for the treatment of CRC.