The present invention relates to a method for making hydrogen comprising contacting in a water-gas shift reaction zone a feed comprising carbon monoxide and water under water-gas shift conditions with an effective catalytic amount of a catalyst comprising highly dispersed gold on a sulfated zirconia, and collecting from the water-gas shift reaction zone an effluent comprising hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The invention also provides a catalyst composition and a method of making the catalyst. In a specific embodiment the invention provides a method for carrying out the water-gas shift reaction in the fuel processor associated with a fuel cell.