A method and apparatus for updating a group key of a group corresponding to a binary tree are provided. The method includes updating keys of leaf nodes that correspond to new members, in response to a join of at least two new members joining the group; determining whether both of two child nodes of a single ancestor node are updated when updating a key of the single ancestor node of the leaf nodes; establishing one of the two child nodes as an update use node when both the two child nodes are updated; and updating a key of the ancestor node using the updating node. Thus, the group key may be effectively updated with respect to multi-join.