NOVELTY - A multicomponent reforming catalyst comprises several nanocatalyst particles having size of less than 100 nm, a support material, and a dispersing agent anchoring at least a portion of the nanocatalyst particles to the support material.    USE - As multicomponent reforming catalyst useful in catalytic reforming of hydrocarbons for forming aromatic compound or branched paraffin (claimed), especially naphtha reforming for octane number enhancement and/or for formation of BTX (benzene, toluene, xylenes).    ADVANTAGE - The catalysts exhibit good activity, selectivity and longevity when used in the reforming of naphtha and/or formation of BTX. The secondary catalyst component(s) increases the catalytic activity, promote other useful reactions, and/or help prevent catalyst deactivation by, e.g., coking. Use of the dispersing agent reduces or eliminates same-component attractions that are normally present during catalyst formation and causes a more random distribution of metals within the nanocatalyst particles. The reforming catalysts have improved catalytic activity and a higher resistance to deactivation. The catalyst loading can be decreased while maintaining a desired catalyst activity, thus decreasing catalyst costs. The reforming catalyst is superior to the reforming catalysts known in the art because the nanocatalyst particles are more strongly anchored to the support, which extends the useful life of the catalyst. In the case of multicomponent catalysts, the reforming catalysts are superior because they comprise catalyst particles comprising at least two catalyst components within the nanocatalyst particle rather than a purely or mainly heterogenous mixture of different types of single component catalyst particles, as are typically found in conventional multicomponent nanocatalysts.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - A multicomponent reforming catalyst (C1) comprises several nanocatalyst particles having a size of less than 100 nm, a support material and a dispersing agent anchoring at least a portion of the nanocatalyst particles to the support material. The nanocatalyst particles comprises multicomponent particles having a first component selected from platinum, palladium, rhodium and/or iridium, and a second component selected from tin, rhenium, germanium, lead, arsenic, antimony, tungsten, osmium, cadmium, indium, titanium, phosphorus, gallium, ruthenium, calcium, magnesium, barium and/or strontium. The dispersing agent (A1) comprises at least one polymer and/or organic molecule, or several organic molecules that have at least one functional group capable of binding to the nanocatalyst particles and at least one other functional group capable of binding to the support material.    INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) method of reforming hydrocarbons involving catalyzing formation of at least one of an aromatic compound or a branched paraffin using (C1);    (2) method (M1) of manufacturing a multicomponent reforming catalyst involving: reacting (A1) with the first and second components of nanocatalyst particles to form a catalyst complex; applying the catalyst complex to a support to yield an intermediate catalyst composition in which the catalyst atoms are in a non-zero oxidation state; and causing nanocatalyst particles having a size of less than 100 nm to be anchored to the support materials; and    (3) method (M2) of manufacturing a supported reforming catalyst involving: providing several catalyst atoms comprising platinum and optionally at least one other type of metal; providing a dispersing agent comprising several organic molecules that have at least one functional group capable of binding to the catalyst atoms; reacting the dispersing agent with the catalyst atoms to form a catalyst complex; applying the catalyst complex to a support to yield an intermediate catalyst composition in which at least a portion of the catalyst atoms are in a non-zero oxidation state; and heat treating the intermediate catalyst composition at above 50degreesC in an inert or oxidizing environment in order to maintain at least a portion of the catalyst atoms in the non-zero oxidation state, yielding a supported reforming catalyst (where the nanocatalyst particles having a size of less than 100 nm are anchored to the support material).