Dissimilar barrier butt joints of AA2024 to AA6061/SiC/55p composite were fabricated by friction stir welding. Effect of the traverse speed on interface bonding, joint microstructure and tensile properties was investigated. Results revealed that, all joints possessed a tensile strength stronger than 80% that of the composite base materials, and the highest strength value was 178MPa. Macro interface can be readily identified in the weld zone between AA2024 and AA6061/SiC/55p composite, of which the area decreased and then increased as the traverse speed increased. The size and shape of SiC particles in the interface zone varied a lot due to different stirring effect and forward impact of the pin in different traverse speeds. Increasingly impairment of the composite base material near the interface was also detected with the traverse speed increasing.